Happy New Year! As much as Ilove the holiday season, each year I look forward to January so I can reboot and get focused on what I want to accomplish in the next year. For me, it’s time to put down the eggnog, put away the elastic-waist sweat pants and getdown to business.
Sometimes divulging my New Year’s resolution is one way to keep me on track. So I’ll confess to you: in 2011 I want to build on the progress that I made in 2010– not by measuring success by what the scale reads, but by living healthier.
Last year, I managed to cut the diet soda addiction out of my life. It sounds like a little thing, but I had an unhealthy consumption of three diet sodas a day and it was a necessary “baby step” for me. Today, I don’t miss the sodium or the bloat that comes from soda or the long-term health risks associated with artificial sweeteners. In 2011 I’m ready to take on bigger goals. That means eating “cleaner” (i.e. eating more organic foods and less processed foods), eating more locally, and as much as it pains me to say it– eating out less.
As a writer, I have the good fortune of being in contact with some of the best sources in town when it comes to good food and fitness. Here are some of the insider tips I’d like to pass along to help you reach your health goals in 2011.
Eating cleaner: In a nutshell, eating clean is eating whole, natural foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and complex carbohydrates. It also means staying away from man-made sugar, bad fats and preservatives. Generally, if you can’t pronounce the ingredients, then it’s processed and not clean. Eating clean has gotten a whole lot easier since Events by Amore owner Linda Caivano-Baldwin launched a new line of ready-to-heat meals called Amore Now- Healthy Lifestyle To Go. Low-fat, low-calorie and low-salt food never tasted so good. With entrees like Pear & Lemon-Thyme Chicken, Balti Caribbean Chicken and Bangkok Dressed Salmon, I can attest that you don’t feel like you are sacrificing by eating Linda’s clean food. And, priced at $5.95 to $8.95, it’s not prohibitively expensive. Bonus!
Eating locally: I want to eat more locally because it is a win on so many fronts. Forselfish reasons local, fresh food just tastesbetter, but altruistically, I’m concerned aboutmy carbon footprint. Eating locally allowsme to feel guilt-free about what I’m eating while supporting local small businesses.On Fridays, I like to head to the Dunedin Green Market in Pioneer Park for locally grown fruits and veggies. On an everyday basis, grocers like Central Café & Organics (St. Petersburg) and Nature’s Food Patch (Clearwater) are also good options for locally grown produce. I’m also considering stocking up twice a month on ethically-raised and hormone-free chicken and pork from Twenty-Four Rivers LLC in Plant City.
Eating out: While I’m going to try and cook at home more this year to control what my family eats, sometimes I know I’m going have to eat out. Everyone needs a break from the kitchen and has social obligations that takes them out of the house during dinnertime. I’ve realized that there’s no reason that eating out has to be a license to binge or derail good progress I’ve made in the week leading up the dinner out. Sometimes, being strategic about where I go can keeps me on track.
Meeting up for drink with friends? Ceviche (including the Clearwater and St. Petersburg locations) has a new “Skinny Sangria”on the menu. At only 100 calories, it’s packed with the flavor and fun of regular sangria, with half the sugar. Couple sangria with a grilled seafood tapas selection and manage to be healthy and fabulously social. If you are looking for a healthy dinner out in Oldsmar, head to City Fish for the Ahi Tuna Salad or for a Steak salad at Flamestone Grill.
Here’s to a nutritious and delicious 2011!
Gina Giradot Melton
Gina Giradot Melton is a Tampa-based food blogger. Her blog, Zest: The Florida Foodie Insider’s Guide (www.ZestFloridaFoodie.com) documents her gastronomic attack on Florida via restaurant reviews, recipes and other bon vivant obsessions. She was born into a boisterous Italian family where food was paramount and early on, her Mom – an amazing pastry chef in her own right—fueled her interest by teaching her everything she could in the kitchen. Her goal is to give readers easy access to delicious food that’s a little bit off the beaten path and miles away from the many chains and tourist traps that proliferate Florida’s landscape. She can be reached at zestfloridafoodie@gmail.com
