It’s hard to pass up a party as fun as A Night in Old San Antonio—or NIOSA as locals refer to it—especially since it is only part of a once-a-year celebration. Certainly, a couple of nights at this festival, which runs from April 24-27, could leave you feeling more than full. Here are some tips to make it fun while keeping your waistline in mind.
Tips and Tricks:
- Eat first: Have a small, light snack before you leave. Focus on fiber and protein to keep you fuller, longer.
- Focus on your favorites: Survey the grounds when you get there first. Don’t rush to decide what you want to eat. Take the time to narrow it down to something you can’t have often and to a few items you will really savor and enjoy. Remember, an item that you enjoy once in a while is not going to make or break your healthy diet.
- Bring friends to the festival. Have a few good friends with you to share items. It is much better to taste a few of the things you want. Also, studies show we enjoy indulgent items less and less with each bite we take.
- You booze, you don’t lose—calories that is. Alcohol calories can quickly add up. Drink slowly, and have plenty of water in between each drink.
- Focus on the festivities! Don’t worry so much about the food. You are not just there for that, but rather to experience the culture and company. Enjoy!
Here are some food booth selections from www.niosa.org that will be featured at NIOSA.
| Arneson River Theatre | Split a banana smoothie with a friend if you plan to have other items. Makes a great, refreshing dessert. |
| Chinatown | Try the chicken lettuce wraps or Yaki Tori, a grilled chicken shish-k-bob. A fortune cookie is a good little sweet, costing only 25 calories each! Avoid the tempura and other fried foods. |
| French Quarter | Skip the sausage and po’boys, which are very high in fat. The café au lait is a nice pick-me-up and lighter in calories. Escargots, while in butter, are also a lighter choice. |
| Froggy Bottom | Try the Bongo-k-bobs (beef shish-k-bobs) that are likely grilled. |
| Main St. USA | A fried green tomato will cost you 150 calories, but one would be okay. Also, soft pretzels are low in fat, but if it is a big one, split it with a pal. |
| Mexican Market | Enjoy the fajitas de pollo or the elotes (corn on the cob). If you must have a fried delight, split it with a friend. |
| Mission Trail | The prairie chicken taco is a good option, with onions and peppers. Ask yourself if you need the tortilla. |
| South of the Border | Try the pollo rancheros or aguacates, fresh avocado halves filled with sour cream and a spicy sauce, but skip the sour cream. |
| Villa Espana | Go for the tapas bandas (sans cheese) or the shrimp parilla. |
It’s All in the Calories
Jessie Zepeda Villegas
In this entrepreneurial world, it seems that every week someone or something is claiming to be the new solution to your weight problem. From celebrity-endorsed programs to doctor-approved supplements, your problem can be fixed for a very low price, plus shipping and handling. However, the fine print often reads, "weight loss results not typical...exercise and sensible eating will yield better outcome." The good news is that there is a much more simple way to approach weight-loss with no down payments and just some basic math skills.
As with most things in life, the secret to losing weight is balance. If you want to shed pounds, you must burn more calories than you consume. To most people the idea of calories only encompasses eating habits. Beware! Any type of weight-loss program that is exclusive to food is an incomplete one and, many times, a harmful one. When calories are reduced drastically, the body responds in many different ways—most of which are not pleasant. Moodiness, fatigue and a decreased metabolic rate are some of the negative side effects of such a program. On the other hand, when excessive exercise is used to reduce caloric consumption folks are left injured, exhausted or disappointed that they don’t look like the infomercial fitness models. There is a reason why exercise programs that promise mega results are "extreme" and "insane." Any one-sided weight-loss program will take an individual on an emotional roller coaster ride which can, ironically, contribute to further weight gain.
So how do you create a balanced, customized program? Find out your basic metabolic rate, or BMR, and you can determine a safe and effective daily calorie consumption that will give you results without leaving you famished.
Use the following steps to calculate your BMR. Any blanks indicate that a number must be written down.
1) First, find out how much you weigh. It is crucial to use a calibrated scale. The more accurate the weight, the easier it is to calculate your correct caloric daily intake. _______
2) Next, take your weight and divide by 2.2. This number is your weight in kilograms. _______
3) Multiply your height in inches by 2.54. This will convert your height to centimeters. _______
4) Take your weight in kilograms, multiply it by 9.6 and then add 665 to new total. _______
5) Take your height in centimeters and multiply by 1.8. _______
6) Add the figure from step 5 to the figure from step 4. _______
7) Take your age and multiply it by 4.7. _______
8) Now take the number from step 7 and subtract it from step 6. _______
Presto! You now know your approximate daily caloric intake needed to keep you at your current weight.
To start shedding the pounds, you must subtract calories from your BMR. For each half-pound you must subtract 250 calories a day. So if you want to lose one pound a week, you must reduce your daily caloric intake by 500 calories. In order to keep your weight loss healthful and permanent, strive to lose no more than two pounds per week and do not consume less than 1200 calories a day. Remember to add any calories burned through exercise to your caloric bank. For example if your BMR is 1600 and you burned 300 calories on the treadmill, on that given day your BMR will be 1900. It’s important to make this adjustment so that you don’t run out of energy on a busy day. It is also important to discuss your weight-loss strategy (both diet and exercise) with your doctor—especially if you are taking medications or have a metabolic disease.
There is no quick fix to weight loss—only hard work and determination. You need to utilize food labels and keep track of the calories you consume. There are many websites that will help you track calories and retrieve nutrition information for all types of foods for free. Keep in mind that weight fluctuates on a daily basis and you should use other tools—such as measuring tapes, the fit of your clothes and comments from those around you—to measure success. Give yourself a month to embrace new eating habits and exercise routines. If you stray, don’t get too hard on yourself. Know that you can always start fresh at your next snack or meal and that exercise isn't exclusive to a gym. Finally, remember that a healthy lifestyle doesn’t just help you look good in jeans—it helps you look good on the inside too!
