Since soft serve yogurt came on the scene, trendy yogurt shops have been popping up all over the country.  But when does a healthy treat turn into a diet disaster? Just 1 cup of the popular Pinkberry Original Frozen Yogurt contains 230 calories before adding toppings! Caloric intake can jump into the 1000’s when you consider all the tempting toppings offered.  One way to keep calories down is to order a child size serving and choose only healthy toppings such as fruit or nuts.  If you cut the serving size in half you can double your topping choice.  Eat up and stay thin!=

Healthy ingredient substitutes for holiday recipes are a must, but there is no reason why we shouldn’t be able to enjoy a delicious dessert or cocktail! Eggnog can be your enemy or your friend… A traditional glass of Eggnong has over 300 calories in it – what?? Here’s a healthy tip from your firends at Eat Smart Age Smart – Instead of using heavy cream and milk try soy or rice milk (which has less calories and fat)! Drink up and have a happy holiday.

With all the holiday/office parties this season its hard not to put on a little extra weight. Follow a few easy steps to avoid this while still indulging in your favorite holiday treats! It’s all about portion control really.  While at your holiday office party have one cookie not four, this can be done by not taking a plate to the treat buffet, try using a cocktail napkin instead (you can’t fit as much on that)! When heading out to holiday parties at night make sure you have eaten a light healthy snack or dinner-this way you won’t be tempted to fill up on hors devours. And when choosing an alcoholic beverage go for something light if you’re having more than  one. Eggnog has 343 calories per glass whereas Champagne has 90. A good workout the next morning also helps to keep the weight off!  Enjoy yourself just don’t over-enjoy yourself! Happy Holidays!

Healthy Holiday Cooking Ideas

Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast: Over 280 Incredibly Flavorful 5-Ingredient 15-Minute Recipes

The most glutinous part of year is upon us! During the holiday season the average American gains 1 pound, which may not sound like a lot but over a lifetime can add up to obesity. This doesn’t have to be the case however.  There are many healthy substitutions to use when cooking holiday meals. Pumpkin Pie is a popular dessert and not that high in calories if you leave off the whip cream.  Instead try using low fat Cool Whip or even non-fat yogurt sweetened with Splenda as a topping. As for the real enemies beware of the Carbs! Mashed potatoes can be made healthier when prepaid with low-fat milk and a butter substitute. Eat Smart Age Smart in-house chef suggests Brown and Brummel (yogurt based spread).  Also watch out for the salt.  Most Americans get 2-3 times more salt that they need, so when you’re reaching for the salt shaker remember that most food already contains a lot of sodium.  The Holidays are a time to indulge but with a little will power you don’t have to gain weight doing it!  Happy Holidays!

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Get in a Good Mood!

Rainbow Light Omega Skin & Mood – 60 Softgels, 2 pack

All we hear about are Omega 3s and how they are so important for our health.  Did you know they are also important for our mood?  The reason Omega 3s can help elevate mood is that it contains EPA(type of acid) that works as a calcium channel blocker similar to that of a mood-stabilizing drug. Rainbow Light Omega Skin & Mood mixes Omega 3s with Astaxanthin, ResVinol-25 and GLA to make you look younger and feel better! 2 in 1 vitamins are the best!

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Let us have Dairy!

Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Milk, Unsweetened Vanilla, 32-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 12)

Lactose intolerance seems to be spreading like wild fire these days. Fortunately there are  many non-dairy options that taste delicious!  Soy Milk contains a lot of protein therefore keeping the appetite at bay. Soy Milk can also be substituted into baking recipes without changing the taste of the end product. Almond Milk is another great alternative to dairy and contains high levels of Vitamin E! Almond Milk is very low in calories and comes in a variety of flavors.  Insiders at Eat Smart Age Smart stock the kitchen with Vanilla flavored Almond Milk and boy is it delicious!  Almond Milk can be substituted into hot chocolate and still provides that creamy taste that dairy delivers. Insider favorite is Almond Breeze-vanilla flavor.  Another good alternative to dairy is Hemp non-dairy product, which is full of healthy omega-3’s (heart smart).  Now you don’t have to skip the cream in your coffee!

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Seaweed is not just for the Sea

Eden Wakame, 2.1-Ounce Packages (Pack of 6)

After spending a day at the beach and seeing and smelling seaweed on the shore the last thing you’d want to do it eat it, right? Well as luck would have it seaweed happens to be extremely healthy for consumption! So what does this slimy green plant contain that Asian cultures has been coveting for thousands of years? Seaweed is extremely high in Amino Acids, Calcium, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and B12. Besides being low calorie some types of seaweed contain up to 30-50% protein! According to The Journal of Nutrition, Wakame (a popular type of seaweed) prevents high blood pressure in animals.  So indulge in that sushi roll it may help keep you healthy!

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