CONTROL YOUR CRAVINGS
You can learn how to control food cravings with a few creative moves. If you crave...
•Midmorning pastry: See whether a slice of whole-grain toast with a thin glaze of fruit preserves satisfies. But the truth is, you probably didn’t eat breakfast. Enjoying a bowl of oatmeal along with a container of nonfat or low-fat yogurt with fresh fruit can help keep your blood sugar off the roller coaster, and you’re less likely to crave a snack before lunchtime. If you like the sweet taste of fruit-flavored yogurt but don’t want all the sugar, choose one made with a calorie-free sweetener such as Splenda.
•Chocolate: It’s OK to give in, but think quality, not quantity. Remember, it’s better to savor a small serving of really good dark chocolate than slurp down a huge chocolate milkshake. (Five chocolate kisses add up to 128 calories, compared with more than 350 calories for a medium chocolate shake.)
•Tortilla chips and salsa: Fried tortilla chips are tasty, but they are high in fat. Ask the waiter for a corn tortilla you can tear up and dip into the salsa, which is nonfat and high in all kinds of healthy plant nutrients. When you are at home, bake your own chips without using any added fat.
•Soft drinks: If you want something carbonated, choose diet versions or create your own fizzy fun by mixing club soda with nutrient-rich orange juice or grapefruit juice.
•Macaroni and cheese: It’s a craving that reaches all the way back to childhood. Use extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, and you’ll need less of it to get that cheesy flavor hit. Add some veggies, such as broccoli florets, to boost fiber and create a dish with a lot fewer calories per serving.
•Ranch dressing: It’s probably the garlicky-good combination of herbs you like. Forgo the mayo and use nonfat or low-fat yogurt instead to save hundreds of calories.
•Pasta: Face your pasta cravings by choosing a sensible portion of pasta tossed with lots of veggies sauteed in garlic and a little olive oil. Choose a fresh tomato sauce instead of high-calorie, high-fat, creamy, cheesy Alfredo sauces.
HAVE A NOSEY CO-WORKER?
Sooner or later we all meet someone who wants to know more about us than we want to share-- and in a work situation, that can be awkward. But it doesn't have to be. Just try steering your co-worker to a new topic. Say, "I'm uncomfortable discussing that, but I'd love to get your opinion on something". Then, ask a question on anything else-- a decorating project or what to wear on a big night out. If you keep a few of these topics in the back of your mind, you'll be ready to move the conversation in a less personal direction. If that doesn't work, and they come back with, "Really, tell me what's going on," firmly say, "I can't. I have to get back to work". Stress that you're a private person and don't like to talk about certain things-- that will send the message without any hurt feelings.
CREATE YOUR OWN GOOGLE MAP
Google is giving away tools to ordinary users to make their own maps. Google is now offering MyMaps, tools for everyday users to create maps in a few mouse clicks. Go to http://www.maps.google.com/ for more information.
