Eating like Celebs--The Healthy Ones, That Is!

As you may have noticed, lately I have been collecting a stack of "What I Ate Today" articles from the "OK!diet" section of the magazines. Why? I find them very interesting as they analyze all sorts of different celebrity's diets--from healthy to horrendous. When I look at these articles, I realize that many of you are probably eating in similar ways--be it good or bad--and I think you could relate to them.  Curious about how your diet compares? Browse through them while you are here and find out how a famous nutritionist would score your eating habits!

Here are a few pointers about proper nutrition that stood out during my perusal of these articles:

1) Eat real foods! No processed meats, high fructose corn syrup, chemicals and powders you can't pronounce off the ingredients list! Eat fresh and healthy items that come directly from the source--eggs, vegetables, fruits, whole grains like quinoa and brown rice, and low fat dairy such as Greek yogurt.

2) Don't fear fat...at least not the good ones! Fat (in moderation--practice portion control!) is important in your diet, for both your brain and body. Incorporate small slices of avocado, a tablespoon of olive oil or peanut butter, salmon (omega-3s are a plus!) and egg yolks in your daily meals. You will feel satiated and healthier.

3) Eat throughout the day. Don't let yourself get too hungry! This leads to binging and poor food choices out of sheer, uncontrollable hunger. Remember to choose healthy foods and nosh as frequently as necessary to avoid poor diet choices later.

Here's a sample of what a healthy diet should look like:

• Breakfast: Small, lowfat latte. Whole wheat English muffin topped with two scrambled eggs (if you must use oil/butter instead of cooking spray, no more than a teaspoon please!), 1/8 avocado slices, tomato slices, a little salt and pepper. 1/2 grapefruit. Another option is to try a piece of fruit accompanied with a bowl of cereal (low sugar, high protein/fiber) and a portion of low fat dairy. I occasionally eat Kashi brand organic shredded wheat, either plain or with milk. Just today Aurora shared her bag of All-Bran with me--about a full handful worth. Very tasty!!!

• Snack: apple with 1 tbs peanut butter. (If you have allergies, you can also substitute the peanut butter for soynut butter, sunflower seed butter, or 1/2 a portion of the whole soynuts/sunflower seeds).

• Lunch: 1 serving grilled salmon with steamed asparagus and 1 serving brown rice. Season with lemon, 1-2 tsp olive oil, and your favorite spices/herbs.

• Snack: 1/2 pita with 2 tbs hummus, cherry tomatoes, slices of bell peppers, and any other veggies you may desire.

• Dinner: 1 serving whole wheat pasta tossed with wilted spinach, garlic, onions, broccoli. Top with a serving of grilled shrimp. (Again, if you have a shellfish allergy, substitute chicken or a lean cut of beef)  For sauce: tomato sauce (if not homemade just make sure to check the ingredients list for added sugars, sodium, etc). If you like pesto better, please limit it to 1 tbs, as it is very caloric (though delicious--so you can enjoy it if you do so moderately!). 

• Dessert: Strawberries with light whipped cream, cinnamon and nutmeg. Or if you have more time, try baking homemade short bread with protein powder, rice bran, oats, whole wheat flour and chocolate chips. It's my wife's special recipe; let me tell you, that is a good cookie! If you want the recipe, ask me about it next time you stop by NEXT LEVEL.

Hope that helps! Enjoy your healthy meals, and please remember to stop by and check out some of these articles I've set aside for you.

Wishing you health and happiness!
Dr.Abu
Aurora