A-Z Fitness - C is for Cooking

C is for 'cooking', that's good enough for me. But how does cooking relate to your fitness? It all boils down to how your food is prepared. Eating chicken can be a great lean alternative to a hamburger but frying it up in grease really defeats the purpose. Same goes for vegetables used in your cooking. Trying to be lean while covering your vegetables in butter or cheese sauces can have the opposite effect of what you are trying to do. Anyone else remember the Saturday morning PSA's of the 80's telling you not to drown your food? "It's no fun to eat what you can't even see."

Tips: Try baking your chicken instead of frying it. Seasoning your vegetables can bring as much flavor as sauces. If you are a meat eater, try cooking with the leanest cuts or try turkey alternatives.

Remember: All foods have calories, if you absolutely must 'liven' up your cooking with a condiment, choose something low in calories, especially fat calories. Your waistline will thank, as will your arteries.

Goal: This week, look through cook-books or on-line for a new, healthier way of preparing your favorite foods and give it a try. You might be surprised.

Last Weeks Goal: Last weeks goal was to track your calories. How did you do? Were you able to start a journal? If you did, why not keep it up?

What fitness words starting with the letter "C" inspire you?