How to Make Your Salads Healthy
Posted on 07/09/2012 at 04:02 AM to Fun Foods
OK, so you are looking at the title of the post and wondering what can be healthier than a salad, but what many fail to know is that salads can have more calories than anything else.
Let me give you a scenario if I may: It's a lovely summer day and you and your girlfriends go out for lunch. Everyone ordered a cheeseburger with fries, but you being the health nut that you are, decide to skip the grease and order a large chicken caesar salad instead. I mean it has to be healthy--lettuce, chicken and cheese (protein) and there aren't that many croutons so it can't be all that bad. WRONG! With the chicken, cheese and the real culprit--the dressing, that salad has more calories than the burger and fries!
Salads are summer meals because they are light and they contain many great vegetables and fruits that are now in season. Here are a few ways to make your salads a little healthier.
Stay away from creamy dressings- These are the worst especially when you put globs of it on your salad. Try to use Italian and Vinaigrette dressings. They are way lower in calories than French, Blue Cheese, Ranch and one of my favorites Thousand Islands (Homer Simpson drool!).
Ask for dressing on the side- If you must have the more fatty dressings, ask for them on the side. Try to moderate how much you put on your salad or dip your fork in the dressing before you start to devour your salad.
Limit the meats in your salads- Try to have only a little bit of meat in your salad. Too much chicken, ham or shrimp will add up.
Have a small salad- You would be amazed how much a small salad can fill you, especially if it is filled with mostly veggies and other powerfoods.
Have a salad before your meal- You have to have that juicy burger and fries and that is OK. Eat a small salad beforehand and you will feel more satisfied before your real meal and you may end up taking half the burger home for the next day!
So my loves, hope I lightened your salad load for the day! Whoop Whoop!
Keeping the fun in fitness!
Your fit fem personal trainer and expert in women's only fitness,
Syl
