Bad foods that are not as bad as you think!

A large number of us want to be healthier and lose weight. In our quest to accomplish this we often avoid foods like burgers, pizza and ice cream.
But when approached properly these foods can actually help you lose or keep off weight.

RED MEAT
Burgers and meatballs can be a healthy alternative if you rethink what goes into them. using extra lean red meat can be a great choice. First, it gives one the feeling of eating how most of us were raised, with red meat being a staple. Secondly these meats are a great source of muscle building and preserving proteins and they digest slowly and can help produce a feeling satisfying your hunger and maintaining the sense of fullness longer.
Choosing grass fed beef is an excellent choice. The fats in grass fed beef are primarily of the unsaturated type that are what humans were meant to eat, not the tainted saturated fats created when humans feed cattle corn. Please see my older posts on this topic.
Can't afford or don't have access to grass fed like we do here in southeast Ohio? Chose ground beef labeled "97 percent lean" or " extra lean" which means it has less than five grams of fat per serving.
Chose steak cuts that are lower fat cuts like sirloin tip, t-bone or strip steak. Keep serving size reasonable. restaurants often serve up 9-12 ounces when 3-4 ounces, about the size of an open palm, is more in line. The focus should also be on a sensible salad and vegetables.
AVOID beef that is labeled PRIME this is a cut that is very high in fat. Choice has less fat and near equal taste.

EGGS
eggs have been given a bad rap. they are an excellent source of protein, have all eight essential amino acids and seem to produce satiety, or a feeling of fullness in many folks.
Egg whites have about 16 calories and whole eggs have about 72 each. they are fast and easy. See more recipes at Health.com/eggs.

AVOID restaurant eggs that are likely fried in vegetable oils or butter or worse smothered in cheese that add calories and saturated fats. You can request it be prepared in cooking spray.

Ice Cream
Recent studies seem to suggest that eating full fat dairy products seems to lead to more successful weight loss. Reasons are unclear but possibly due to substances like CLA, conjugated Linoleic Acid. This has gotten a lot of publicity as a weight loss supplement and I don't recommend using it in that manner as it appears not to be worthwhile in supplement form and the data is all over the board on its use and any effectiveness. It may be just a satisfying treat that fulfills ones cravings.
one must keep servings small, and watch total fat intake not because fat is inherently evil but can be a vehicle for significant calorie intake.

Pizza
Chose whole wheat crusts, stick to vegetables and chicken as toppings, avoid red meats like pepperoni and sausage. Stay away from deep dish or pan as that indicates it is cooked in oil, likely a vegetable oil that is high in saturated fats. In this way a medium slice will only cost you about 200-250 calories.

Canadian Bacon, a protein secret.
Unlike regular bacon Canadian bacon comes fro the loin and is leaner. It is thicker and should be cooked without oil or heated in an oven. A great source of protein, it can be used on a whole wheat BLT or added to salads or scrambled eggs

As always some form of exercise is key to a healthy lifestyle and should not be forgotten as the cornerstone of weight loss, a healthy lifestyle and disease prevention.