Back To Basics

The holiday season is over, we've all put on the obligatory 7 pounds, and it's time to get back to basics. That means different things to different people, but here's what it means to me.

1. Throw out all the candy, cake and cookies that are left over from the holidays, or give them to a thin friend or neighbor.

2. Clean out your refrigerator. Leftover gravy, stuffing, cranberries, high calorie cheeses, dips, etc. have got to go.

3. Make a trip to Henry's, Jimbo's, Whole Foods, any local supermarket or your farmers market and stock up on fruits and veggies, including sweet potatoes, yams, red potatoes, and unusual veggies to include in soups and salads.

4. Go home and make a pot of delicious vegetable soup. I use canned chicken broth as a base, then add my veggies. I always put in 2 red potatoes cut up, to give the soup a little more bulk. I usually include onions, carrots, zucchini, chopped up kale (or spinach), celery, potatoes and anything else you have on hand. I usually make a big pot, freeze half of it, keep the rest to eat for the following week.

5. Cook a few sweet potatoes or yams. I try to find the 6oz size potatoes, but if you can't, buy the bigger ones and just eat half for a serving, save the rest for later.

6. Try NOT to eat out for the next few weeks. It will make losing weight so much easier.

7. Delicious lunches include vegetable soup and a low calorie sandwich, vegetable soup and a 6oz yam, or vegetable soup with cottage cheese and fruit. I love these lunches and they keep me satisfied until dinner.

It took me 65 years to figure out how to keep my weight in check. I'm a slow learner, but I thought since I think I've figured it out, I would share my tips with you. One thing I finally understand is that I can eat anything I want. I just can't eat as much as I used to. I can have the cheesecake, but usually a few bites will satisfy. I can have my son's Panna Cotta (which is out of this world), just not the whole thing. I keep these things out of the house and only eat them at parties or restaurants, or else I have to go out specifically to buy them. It's amazing how a craving can pass if you can't satisfy it right away.

Finally, and this is perhaps the most important thing. I eat only when I'm hungry. I'm not always hungry for lunch at noon or dinner at 6pm. Often I will eat lunch at 11am if I happen to be hungry. I sometimes eat dinner at 4:30pm (I am getting old!) because that's when I'm hungry. If I get hungry later at night I always have my fudgesicles, juice bars, popcorn or apples.

Try some of my tips and see if they work for you. You'll have the 7 pounds off in no time, you'll feel great, you will have cleaned your cupboards of unnecessary junk, and maybe even tasted some new fruits and veggies along the way. Good luck.