8 Sweets to "Live" For

Published: Thu, 08/06/09

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Just the other day, I enjoyed a delectable slice of Orange Zest Sweet Potato Pie from Big Daddy Sweet - a silky blend of sweet yam filling with a hint of orange in a buttery crust. More about that later...

Since I'm health conscious, you might be surprised to know that yes, I do eat sweets! I'm all about balance - eating healthy 90% of the time, with everything else 10% of the time.

If you follow the 90/10 rule (or even 80/20 is good), then you still have room in your diet for treats. But reasonable portion control is key. Desserts usually pack a lot of calories. And if your "treat" becomes a lifestyle (as in you eat it several times a week), then you can pack on major poundage.

I speak from experience. Eating a pint of Haagen-Daas ice cream was once part of my lifestyle. I thought I was doing good since it had only 270 calories per serving. But I was wrong. See, once I learned to read labels, I discovered that each pint had 4 servings - so I was consuming 1,080 calories with every pint I ate! That's over half of the calories my body needs a day. No wonder I ended up gaining 85 pounds after high school. Obviously as I lost the weight, I also had to lose that part of my lifestyle.

When it comes to eating sweets, I follow two guidelines:

Eat lower calorie alternatives
If I eat the higher calorie option, minimize the impact with portion control

Here are some lower calorie alternatives to satisfy your sweet tooth:

Slice of angel food cake covered with sliced strawberries and low-fat whipped cream
For cookies, try animal crackers or ginger snaps
Sugar-free puddings are great if you have a taste for chocolate, rice pudding, and caramel (which are some of the flavors available)
Chocolate hard candy is another choice to satisfy chocolate cravings
Frozen yogurt or fruit sorbets are also good choices
Fruit is an excellent choice for dessert, bursting with flavor, vitamins, and fiber
Oven-baked sweet potatoes sprinkled with some cinnamon and nuts are also tasty. They are also packed with Vitamins A and C.

Concerning the second guideline, if you do decide to go for a higher calorie dessert, like I did with the Orange Zest Sweet Potato Pie, make your slice 1/2 size less than you would normally eat. Eat it slowly and take a sip of water between each bite to cleanse your palate.

Doing this makes it almost like you are eating every bite for the first time - you enjoy it more plus you are satisfied with less.You can also remove the back crust of the pie. Most of the calories are in the crust.

Last but not least, be sure that if you go for the dessert - make it worth the calories! If it is a dessert you can take or leave, then leave it. Save your treats for the really good stuff.

I can say that Big Daddy Sweet's Orange Zest Sweet Potato Pie tasted heavenly and was definitely worth the calories. To try it yourself, go to www.bigdaddysweet.com.

Be sure to share with family and friends. Remember, it's a treat not a lifestyle :)

Be blessed in health, wealth, and wisdom,

Kimberly Floyd, C.W.C.
Certified Wellness Coach
Author of the 'Take Back Your Temple' eBook
www.takebackyourtemple.com

P.S. Last week, I made a rare offer. With the purchase of my Take Back Your Temple eBook, I offered 17 people a free copy of my MoneyWise Weight Loss book (a $15.95 value) and a free "Stop, Drop, and Pray" magnet to post on your refrigerator, a $4.99 value.

Well, I still have a few books left, so great news...the deal is still on! To qualify for the free MoneyWise Weight Loss book, which is a hard copy book and magnet - then do this:

1. Place your order for the Take Back Your Temple ebook and 8 bonuses at:

http://www.takebackyourtemple.com/book

Once you order the Take Back Your Temple ebook, you will receive a link that allows you to download it and all 8 bonuses instantly so you can get started on your health goals right away.

2. Reply to this email or use the 'Contact Us' for at the www.takebackyourtemple.com website and write, "Kim, I want to be one of the 5."

I will verify your order and then email you back to let you know if you qualified as one of the next 5 to receive the free book. I would need your name and complete mailing address at that time.

3. If you qualified, I will mail your book via USPS. It's that easy.

I hope you take advantage of this blessing. But hurry - supplies are limited and when they are gone, they are gone.

Thank you for forwarding this message to others for whom it would be a blessing.