14 DAY TRIAL // The arrival of the warm season means that willingly or not, we all have to put aside bulky clothes and start getting used to wearing the more skimpy spring and summer attire. For those of us who have spent the winter indulging in comfort foods and neglecting their weight, this may not be a pleasant experience, made even more uncomfortable by the sometimes all-too-sudden passage from thick long coats to revealing jeans, dresses, skirts and T-shirts. However, with a little determination and careful exercising, we can easily shed the winter pounds - provided, of course, that summer doesn't bring along a fresh source of unhealthy temptations. Here is a list of fattening summer foods to watch out for.
1. Ice cream. Sorry, girls, I really do empathize - really, I feel, share and deal with the pain of ice cream abstinence every day, and have been doing it for a long time. By some devious genetic mechanism (or maybe it's just repressed cravings getting the better of us), when the weather warms up, ice cream is among the first things that pop into our minds. It's somehow synonymous with warmth, lighter clothes and breezy days spent doing nothing in particular. However, ice cream is a devil in disguise as far as calories are concerned, especially if we think of all the toppings, candy mix-ins and waffle cones. There are plenty of healthy alternatives, such as frozen yogurt or sorbet, that will offer the same brand of chilly pleasure minus the calorific intake.
2. Chocolates. They start taking over the store displays around Easter or Mother's day and they stick around all summer, calling us with their soft, chocolaty, sugary voices. Be brave and stick to your guns, girls, there's a very simple way out of the "I crave chocolate" dilemma: treat yourselves with a small daily portion of dark chocolate. It's tasty and it's good for your health - but don't overdo it. Even dark chocolate is still chocolate, and contains added fat, sugar, and calories. Keep id dark and low, and you'll be fine.
3. Summer cocktails. Anything from ice cream drinks, iced coffee and margaritas to tropical cocktails is a potential calorie landmine. "Liquid calories add up so quickly", says Christine Gerbstadt, MD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "Know what is going into your drink, and limit the high-calorie offenders. Otherwise, a few of these drinks can easily add hundreds of extra calories."
4. Salads. I'm not talking fruit salads, but rather savory salads made with mayonnaise, chicken and potato salad. These treats are tasty, but they are loaded with fat and calories. There's an easy solution for this dilemma, though - replace the mayo with a sauce made from a bit of mustard and many fresh herbs. Replace the potatoes with green beans and things will be even better weight-wise. "Eating entr?e salads is a great idea during spring, with all the wonderful greens and vegetables, but so often they are also loaded with high fat ingredients like cheese, cro?tons, mayonnaise salads, and high-fat dressings", says Boston University professor Joan Salge Blake - so watch out. Best swap these salads with grilled foods - everything from chicken to lean beef or pork. And keep away from fast food.
