Choosing lean protein
I've often said that I could be a vegetarian. While I like meat, I just don't crave it. And the health and ethical reasons for going veg are tempting. Yet, knowing everything that I know, I still haven't made the leap. But I do cut down on my family's overall meat intake. For example, this week we only have three dinners that contain meat -- the rest of our dinners will be vegetarian. And, when I do purchase meat, I make sure it's lean. John's Hopkins has some good tips on how to choose lean meats. Their picks for the leanest choices in each category are:
- Beef: Round steaks, roasts, top loin, top sirloin, chuck shoulder, arm roasts, ground round, and ground sirloin (at least 90% lean).
- Poultry. Chicken, turkey, and Cornish hen without skin.
- Pork. Tenderloin, center loin, pork loin, sausage with 1 gram of fat per ounce or less, and Canadian bacon.
- Lamb and Veal. Chop or roast.
- Sandwich meats. Lean turkey and lean ham.


By now, we've probably all heard that we're supposed to be getting 5-10 servings of fruit and veggies a day. But knowing this guideline is one thing; Making sure we meet it day in and day out is another. Do you get 5-10 a day? Come on, 
I don't recommend the sort of happy meal you'd find at McDonald's and other fast food joints. But I do suggest you try some of the happy foods Redbook magazine features in its June 2008 issue. For the whole run-down -- there are 15 of them in all --
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When one decides to stop eating meat, it's easy enough to turn to vegetarian recipes. However, many people aren't willing to give up meat in their meals, but would be willing to cut back. 
I met a woman the other day while waiting to get my annual mammogram. She had a suspicious something she was waiting to have examined and during our discussion about her concerns, I told her about my history with breast cancer. At some point during our chat, she shared that she wasn't so sure diet plays any real role in preventing cancer. Maybe no one can be entirely sure but it does seem a worthy endeavor to clean up your diet just in case. If it turns out diet and cancer have no link -- most evidence, however, supports that fact that they do -- then at the very minimum, you've stepped up your health a bit. There's no harm in that.
I'm just back from a Memorial Day beach getaway that featured time on the sand, time at the pool, time with family, and time with ... food. For two nights straight, my family of four dined with cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends, and the home-cooked meals we were served were simply scrumptious. They were no doubt loaded with ingredients we rarely consume too. This had me worried.
I adopted my son at age 10. Which means that he had 10 years of developing food preferences before he ever met me. Ten years of not-so-great habits that he developed. When he first moved home our family dinners were accompanied by the sound of him gagging and pretending to throw up. Suffice it to say, his reactions weren't terribly motivating for me.
An easy way to lose weight is to include more fruits and vegetables in your diet. Produce is famous for jamming massive amounts of vitamins, nutrients and fiber into very few calories. With most produce, you can consume lots of food for a very low caloric price. More bang for your buck that is!
Ever feel like you're running on empty as you power through your hectic days? Likely, you do. And it's likely you find it difficult on your busy days to sit down and enjoy healthy meals and snacks. 










