Blonde Cucina: New year, new you, new diet

How many of you made a New Year’s resolution to have a new year and a new you?

Beach bodies are made in the winter, and since January has officially started, you have no more excuses to eat those Christmas cookies or nibble on that gift basket you were given. It’s easy to make a promise to yourself to buckle down and eat healthfully and work out, but even if your intentions are good, you have to put those intentions into play.

Gyms have the highest membership enrollment in January. Sometimes working out at home doesn’t work for everyone; some need the social pressures of a gym to really stick to that self-made promise. There are various gyms and every atmosphere is different. Some people do well in a family-centered gym, some like to see members walking around “maxing out” and asking their spotters how many reps they got dead lifting, and some like a place where they feel the staff is genuinely there to help them achieve their goals. Just remember, once you join a gym, you need to start working out.

Working out, however, is only about 20 percent of achieving your “new year, new you” goal. The other 80 percent is a four-letter work no one likes: Diet.

Now, I’m not going to talk to you about the newest diet fad or give you a 30-day diet plan. I’m here to tell you that you have to choose a diet that will work for you. Any diet will work, but it’s a lifestyle change and it needs to work for you and not against you. You can choose low-carb, low-calorie, low-fat or anything. Any diet where you modify what you are taking in will eventually work, but it has to continually work so you don’t fall off that wagon.

I found that people don’t really know how to diet. According to my gym guru, knowing when to eat is the hardest thing. You need to eat within 45 minutes of waking up to jump start that metabolism and then you need to eat every three hours thereafter.

Now, I don’t mean eating large meals every three hours. I’m talking about staggering meals with snacks. A protein shake and a piece of fruit, followed by a protein bar three hours later, then a chicken salad for lunch, then another protein shake, then dinner and, finally, a snack.

Here is a list of snacks that will prevent you from being hungry, keep that metabolism going and won’t break the calorie count bank:

■ About 30 grapes

■ 1 cup of berries with 2 tablespoons whipped topping

■ 6 ounces skim milk mixed with 2 teaspoons chocolate syrup

■ 1 cup mixed berries (raspberries, strawberries, and/or blackberries) tossed with 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

■ 1 4-ounce container fat-free pudding

■ 1 small apple, cored, filled with 1 teaspoon brown sugar and 1 sprinkle cinnamon, baked until tender

■ 2 graham cracker squares with 1 teaspoon peanut butter

■ About 6 animal crackers with 1/2 cup skim milk

■ 2 pretzel rods with 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

■ 38 Goldfish crackers

■ 5 Wheat Thins dipped in 1/2 tablespoon Nutella or other hazelnut spread

■ 2 cups raw baby spinach with 1 cup sliced strawberries and 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Here’s a recipe for a delicious dinner that will keep you satisfied and will confuse your taste buds about that four-letter word, “diet.”

GARDEN PEPPER CHICKEN

In skillet on medium-high heat, heat the olive oil.

While oil heats, dust chicken breasts with flour on both sides.

Bring a small pot of water to a boil for potatoes.

Once oil is ready, put chicken in the pan and sauté for about 4 minutes. After 4 minutes, flip chicken over and turn heat back to medium. Add onions, garlic and peppers and sauté all for 10 minutes.

Add potatoes to boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain potatoes and place on your plate. Smash potatoes with a fork, then pour chicken and peppers over potatoes.

You’re done! A delicious meal, full of flavor and protein and, I promise you, you will not be hungry.