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Diet Cabana Chat, Seasonal Weight Loss Tips & Advice

Come, sit on the deck of the cabana with us and overlook the fragrant field of wildflowers as we talk about the good things in store for your spring diet plan.  We'll add a little 'wild' into your diet flour (or is that flower?) and help spring some great dieting ideas to the surface. Have you got your diet lemonade in hand? Good! Let's chat....

Springtime is an opportune time to initiate a diet plan. Why? Well, Old Man Winter is behind us and Hot Old Summer lies ahead. Summer is dressed sparsely with strings of bikinis, short-shorts and sungear that transforms the Average Joe into a movie-star look-alike. So if you prepare NOW, you'll be leaner and lighter in time for the summer shebang.

Spring is a bit like fall in indecisive temperature ranges. It may be cool one day, warm another day, and icy cold the next - depending on the climate and region in which one lives. There is also the 'wind factor' to deal with. While it might be an awesome day to fly a kite, it might not be so good for biking. Getting blown off your bike while soaring downhill is about as much fun as riding on your exercise bike - you know the one covered in at least an inch of dust.

With this said, during the unpredictable months of spring, arrange your diet around the temperatures. If it's warm outside, dine on salads, cold meats, cold slices of cheese and fresh fruits.  If it's cold outside, opt for warm soup and a reduced-fat cheese sandwich, or a bowl of lean stew or chili. For example your menu might look something like this on a cool day.

Free Diet Menu

Breakfast: One serving of whole grain oats, one cup of milk, one slice of whole grain toast and a serving of light, fat reduced margarine.

Mid-Morning Snack: One single serving of low fat yogurt.

Lunch Menu: Light vegetarian style chili. If you prefer chili with a ground beef base, you can certainly use extra lean ground beef in the recipe. To prepare the low calorie chili take 1 cup of diced onions of any variety and sauté them until clarified in a deep pot on the stove top, using a spoon of cooking oil.

Next - assemble the following ingredients in a deep non-stick pot: 1 medium size can of red kidney beans, 1 medium size can of pinto beans, 1 can of drained yellow or white hominy (optional), 1 can of diced petite tomatoes and one package of your favorite taco seasoning. Or you can add your own seasoning consisting of: ground chili powder, ground cumin, cayenne pepper, garlic and cilantro.

Cook until hot and bubbly and serve with wedge of cornbread. Sprinkle the chili with a bit of reduced fat cheese if desired. Also enjoy one cup of milk.

Mid-Afternoon Snack: A cored apple that has been warmed in the microwave. Add a spoon of light or dark brown sugar, some ground cinnamon and a tiny spoon of light margarine.

Dinner Menu: One small baked potato topped with real bacon bits, reduced fat sour cream, light margarine and reduced fat cheese. Also add chopped broccoli and sliced sautéed mushrooms. Enjoy with a glass of unsweetened tea.

Bedtime Snack: Two cups of hot air popcorn.

Weight Impacted by Food Consumption More Than Activity Level

Keep in mind that food intake impacts the numbers on your weight scales more than any other factor related to dieting. Activity plays its most important role in keeping the body fit and works to fortify endurance. Activity level also impacts lifespan, as well as quality of life. Therefore, while activity is vital to overall well being and good health, the foods and beverages that we consume are the most influencing factors on what we weigh.

Weight Loss Fact: More calories can be consumed per day than burned via activity and exercise.

Spring offers some exciting activities. Here are some of our favorites: collecting wildflowers on a hike, butterfly viewing, combing the beach for shells at daybreak, touring museums, visiting and walking through antique malls (some are huge!), and baking springtime breads - which burns calories due to all the kneading.  

Always get your doctor's thumb's up before tackling strenuous activity. Being overweight puts the body at a higher risk for health issues, including injury - and you don't want to kill yourself trying to get healthy.

Relaxation & Weight Loss Connection

Relaxation Time is as essential as Activity Time when dieting. Read a thrilling book while sipping warm tea, create a masterpiece by working on a Paint-by-Number OR visit your local craft store and buy a canvas and paints to climb to a broader spectrum. Knitting, sewing, crocheting, quilting, playing chess or electronic games, watching a bit of television, going to the movies - and yes, even cooking are all fabulous ways to unwind and add richness to your life while dieting.

Enjoy spring, enjoy your diet - and be sure to brush up on your diet motivation by sifting through the articles at Diet Bites. We hope that you will drop by for our Summer Sunroom diet chat.

Good luck, good journey, and good dieting our dear friend....

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