View Full Version : healthy cheats?

08-16-2010, 06:41 AM
Well I just thought I'd make a post about it, cause I always end up making posts then thinking things are worth making a whole topic over.

Anyways HEALTHY FOODS that makes you feed like your cheating =)

DARK CHOCOLATE - darker the better, can help lower your blood pressure, and can help elevate your mood, great source of antioxidants.

Although it's high in calories and saturated fats, just make sure you don't eat a whole bar or a box at a time and you should be perfectly fine, you could always share with friends which is a great way to make sure you portion control it well.

COFFEE - NOT FRAPPICINOS (600+ calories) but BLACK COFFEE contains only about 10 calories, and 2 cups of coffee contains about 400mg of caffieine and it's been proven it can help reduce pain post workout more effective than a advil or tylenol.

Coffee is also the number 1 source of anti-oxidants in the average American diet. There's also some evidence that coffee may help manage asthma and even control attacks when medication is unavailable, stop a headache, boost mood, and even prevent cavities

For more health benefits http://men.webmd.com/features/coffee-new-health-food

Remember each pack of sugar is about 15 calories, and 2 tbsp of milk is about 14 calories. So if you add like 4 packet of sugar (60) and 4 packs of milk (56) you can add up the calories pretty quickly.

Also encourage people to get this book. It shows you what you can eat when you go out, it also shows that a lot of "healthy menu" items can be even worse. Like Turkey bacon can seem healthier but usually contains 2-3x the salt of regular bacon.

EAT THIS NOT THAT - amazing book, GET IT


08-16-2010, 06:43 AM
After Chili's Awesome Blossom took the runner-up spot on the "Worst Foods in America" list, Chili's removed the appetizer from their menu entirely. Pepperidge Farm followed suit after being placed on the Worst Foods list and discontinued their Roasted Chicken Pot Pie. When Jamba Juice earned a citation on the Worst Drinks in America list, the chain stopped serving the largest size of their Chocolate Moo'd smoothie and recommitted itself to becoming one of the healthiest restaurant chains in the nation.


Did you know: Choosing Prime Rib over Baby Back Ribs at Outback will save you more than 2,000 calories? You can save nearly 500 calories and more than 20 grams of fat just by ordering your banana split at Dairy Queen instead of Baskin-Robbins? A Stouffer's White Meat Chicken Pot Pie has as much saturated fat as 6 scoops of ice cream?

08-17-2010, 01:00 PM
1. I LIKE my coffee decadent, but I definetly find that it helps to "lessen the blow" so to speak, if you make your own coffee drinks. That way you decide what goes in it, and you can swap more calorie and fat laden things for better alternatives. Is it "healthy" eh.. probably not. But it is possible to make a sweet coffee drink and keep it well under "600 calories" In fact, mine tallies up to 65 calories. But an indulgence is still an indulgence. ^_- moderation.

2. Popcorn! Ah popcorn, buttery, fat, unhealthy, right? WRONG! Skip the microwave popcorn and pop your own. and instead of loading it with butter, try spices! Garlic powder is GREAT on popcorn.

3. Soda. Look for brands such as Izze and Steaz. To put it into perspective..
Crush Orange Soda: ( This has 2.5 servings per 20 oz bottle.. but let's face it, we usually drink the whole bottle..) Has 320 calories, 120 mg of Sodium, and 83 grams of sugar.

Izze Clementine Orange Soda: (Serving size is one bottle) 120 calories, 25 mg of Sodium, 27 grams of sugar.

Steaz is another good choice, they're a soda made with green tea, and their rootbeer (non diet) clocks in at only 90 calories. (60 for their lemon lime )

08-17-2010, 01:02 PM
if your talkina bout sodas Fresca NO HIGH FRUTOSE corn syrup and 0 calories

08-17-2010, 02:15 PM

^_^ Izze and Steaz are made without HFC syrup either. Heck, Izze doesn't even add sugar. The sugars and Izze are from the fruits, that's it.

Actually, I'm wary of 0 calorie beverages, I think the only 0 cal beverage should be water, or unsweetened tea. Izze and Steaz may have a higher calorie count, but their ingredients are also all natural. Some people (like myself) want to steer away of things like aspartame. ( Acesulfame? Brominated vegetable oil? Ester of wood rosin?)

To me, 0 calorie isn't better. But opinions on such things can vary.

08-17-2010, 03:37 PM
One thing to keep in mind, if you want a cheat or a treat, portion control. A small hot fudge sundae from McDonald's, or the new Mini Blizzzard Treat isn't going to kill your diet if you have one once in awhile. My dad had a big mac once a week and avoided carbs and fats the rest of the week. With diet and exercise he lost 25 pounds at age 56. No one said you couldn't enjoy something you like in moderation.

To reward myself I get a small cold stone ice cream once every month or two. It's really expensive which is another reason to not get it all the time, but it's really good. No one said you couldn't have it once in awhile.

08-17-2010, 11:22 PM
Oh also, if you're into Mexican, always go for salsa over guacamole. I has a lot less...everything?

I just came from a hard workout so my brain's not functioning as highly as it should otherwise I'd give more hard facts >_<

...but YES! Salsa over guacamole! :D

08-18-2010, 12:02 AM
I hate coffee ><; I stay away from all caffeine, actually, tea included. I figure I eat healthy enough usually to not need them.

I prefer the if I cheat once, I cheat big (and maybe to the point I'll be sick of the food for the next two weeks+), rather than small treats. Small treats means I'll be ready for more the next day, which will add up to more than one large treat less often.

And also, I work out a lot, and find it easy to slip into overtrained/under fed, so I balance out by overfeeding once in a while. Its exciting, and easy to to keep for me. I figure as long as it all averages out to 90%+ healthy, with average calories, its ok to have low days and high days.

08-18-2010, 02:20 PM
oooo I just found a good one, even though it's hardly healthy ^^;

If you're making chocolate chip cookies, use miniature chocolate chips (this will cut down on sugar and saturated fat) and egg whites as opposed to the whole egg (cuts down on cholesterol). If your dough is too crumbly without the whole egg, add small splashes of water until it's smoother.

08-18-2010, 04:19 PM
You can always substitute organic apple sauce in all your baking for stuff like oil. Or instead of water. Makes for moist cookies/cakes.

08-18-2010, 04:30 PM
Omega 3 enriched Peanut butter, like Jiff omega or Smart Balance, uses flaxseed oil instead of peanut oil to give you plenty of HEALTHY fats that your heart and body needs to stay healthy, which both are all natural with no sugar added, and tastes virtually the same if not identical.

08-18-2010, 04:35 PM
Yeah but I always thought natural peanutbutters were healthier than stuff like Jiff even with the omega 3. Personally I take flax supplements anyways.

08-18-2010, 04:38 PM

Jiff omega and smart balance ARE natural peanut butter, unless your talking about fresh ground ones from supermarkets. If you use smart balance cooking sprays, butters, peanut butter, and eat Arnolds HEALTH FULL bread you'll get plenty of flaxseed oil without having to take supplements for it imo.

Also that reminded me

ARNOLDS HEALTH FULL bread. 4 grams of fiber, 5 grams of protein, 80 calories PER SLICE tastess great too with NO HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP and 0 trans fat =)

08-18-2010, 04:41 PM
I get the natural fresh organic kind from Trader Joe's. The kind where the oils actually seperate themselves from the pb and you gotta stir it like every time. That bread sounds good tho I'll have to check it out for refeed.