If you are like me....you can't live without french fries every now and then! Don't waste your time or calories on fast food fries typically cooked in trans fats and coated in starches and LOADED in fat!  Instead, opt for the super simple version of home fries for fresher taste and ultimate crispiness!  Leave the skin on the potatoes for a nutritional boost. Here is a healthy makeover to those baaadddd fries you love! 
Simply Crispy Oven Baked Fries - makes 6 servings
Ingredients:

• nonstick cooking spray
  
• 6 Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1 inch thick sticks
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt, divided
  
• 3 tablespoons canola oil or olive oil
  
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  
• 1/8 teaspoon of black pepper
  

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line baking sheet with aluminum foil and mist foil with non stick spray.  Place sliced potatoes in colander and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt.  Set potatoes aside to allow liquid to seep out.  Rinse potatoes and dry well with paper towels. In a large resealable bag, place potato sticks, oil, garlic powder, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper.  Seal bag and toss to coat.  Spread potatoes in a single layer on backing sheet.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, flip potatoes over and bake another 10 to 15 minutes or until light brown and crisp.
Nutrient facts per serving (about 1 cup):
calories  228
total fat  7 grams
saturated fat  1 gram
carbs 38 grams
dietary fiber 5 grams
sugar 2 grams
sodium  478 mg
protein  4 grams

If preventing/reducing middle-aged spread and belly fat is a priority to you, strength training is key! I always tell my clients,"Your muscle dictates your metabolism" (how efficiently your body burns fat).  Each decade after 30, muscle declines by 3% to 8% & because it has a higher metabolic rate than fat, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, not only during exercise, but also at rest. Think of a thermostat on the wall cranked to 85 degrees! Strength workouts such as circuit training mixed with body weight training (my specialty) will burn over 25% more calories than cardiovascular exercise alone and may keep your resting metabolic rate elevated by 100 calories a day for up to 72 hours afterwards. Muscle builds up quickly (lean, toned muscle!) and it can also help control blood sugar levels in people with Type 2 diabetes. The more toned muscle you have, the leaner you are, the easier it is to manage and maintain your weight loss, and you can eat more and not gain extra weight! Now that is a reason alone to start a strength training program!

There are a few simple things that you can do this spring to shave off at least 100+ calories a day to help you toward your goal of looking your best this summer! Let's make it BURN!!
1. take a leisurely 20 minute bike ride. If you are limited to the stationary bike in your basement or gym, make at a half hour with the resistance set to light pedaling.
2. Scrub your floors vigorously for 20 minutes.
3. Take a 12 minute slow jog at about 5 mph.
4. If you work on a high floor of a skyscraper, walking down the stairs for 30 minutes burns 100 calories.  If you are on a lower floor, running up the stairs for just 6 minutes will do the trick.
5. Walk your dog for 30 minutes (DONT CHEAT:IF HE STOPS, YOUR CLOCK STOPS! )
6. Do a light workout with weights for 30 minutes. You can get the same effect from just 11 minutes of circuit training with minimal rest. (think supersets...upper body, lower body, core, repeat)
7. If all you can do is some mild stretching, you can still work off 100 calories by bending and stretching your body for about 35 minutes!
Now get out there and make it burn!!!!!

Getting in shape for summer doesn't have to be about deprivation. After all, Oprah Winfrey says she eats bread every day and still lost 26 pounds.  It's all about moderation! First, cut calories moderately. You should only reduce your calorie intake about 20% below your baseline for bodyweight maintenance. That means an active woman who consumes 2,000 calories a day and stays at a consistent weight should consume no fewer than 1,600 calories a day to lose weight. Especially if she works out! She may need to eat more (think fuel for your muscles) if she is logging in workouts 5 to 6 days a week.  Second, heighten your awareness of how much you're putting in your mouth and be mindful of portion control.  It is easy as using your hand.  For instance, a clenched fist is about equal to a cup.  You should aim for two clenched fists' worth of veggies (at minimum) every day.  The front of a clenched fist (the knuckle side) equals about 1/2 cup - that's a portion of pasta.  The end of your index finger from the first joint to the tip equals about 1 ounce of cheese.  The measurements across your palm are about the same as a 3-ounce portion of meat, fish or poultry.  Next week...we will go over a few simple things you can do to shave off about 200 calories every day to help you toward your goal of looking and feeling your best for the summer! Keep moving & stay positive!