June 2014 Tips and Recipes

Summer Clothing Woes

Memorial Day has come and gone, kids are out of school and people have opened up their pools. Now comes the time to put on a bathing suit, shorts and summer shirts.

During the winter it is easier to hide our bodies underneath clothing and coats. But with summer comes the shedding and we may not like what we see.

The scariest of all is putting on a swimsuit. The scare could be because you are fair skinned, slightly overweight, extremely overweight or somewhere in between.

This month's ezine is dedicated to summer wear and how to get rid of the summer woes by dressing for your size.

Swimsuit Wear

When picking out a swimsuit you may want to go a size larger. Swimsuits tend to run a size or two larger than clothing, so don’t assume if you buy a size 16 pants you need a 16 swimsuit. Wearing a size too small only accentuates the areas of our bodies we don’t want to show off this summer.

Pick colors that will go with your skin tone. Darker skin tones can easily start out with bright and bold colors. But if you are just starting out and are fair skinned, start the summer off with a neutral color like chocolate or mocha. As your skin tans up, go for brighter colors.

Use the colors and patterns to accentuate what you want and solid and darker colors to minimize the attention to areas you don’t want. If you carry your weight around the waist and hips, go for darker bottoms and colorful tops.

Another way to minimize the larger areas of your body is to buy swimsuits with gathered fabric (or ruched). A swimsuit gathered at the waist will help take focus off this area of the body.

Shirts

Since most of your summer will not be spent in the pool, finding the right summer clothing is equally important as picking out the right swimwear.

First and foremost, dress for your size. Wearing body conscious (but not tight) clothing always looks best. Hiding your bulge underneath shirts too big will only make you look bigger. Similarly clothing that is too small will only emphasize the bulge.

When picking out shirts avoid horizontal stripes around the waistline. Horizontal stripes will only make you look even bigger.

Instead think vertical. Vertical seams, stripes, piping or even a deep V-neck stretches you out giving you the appearance of being thinner.

Use colors and patterns to attract the eyes to areas you want to show off. If you like your arms, shoulders and upper body area, then show it off with a shirt that has bold colors and patterns at the top. Avoid big patterns for those areas you don’t want to highlight. Avoid spaghetti straps if you carry extra weight in your arms. Instead go with a short sleeved shirt. Breaking up the arm with a sleeve can give it a more slimming look than a sleeveless shirt.

Shorts and Other Stuff

If you carry extra weight in your thighs, then disguise them with longer skirts and shorts. Go mid knee or just above or below the knee to accentuate your thinner calves. Don’t wear tight fitting shorts that will show the larger thighs and cellulite.

Avoid flimsy fabrics as these tend to hug and form to the body, showing everything. This goes for the shirts, shorts, skirts, etc.

For the evenings when it’s cooler and you switch to pants, for you ladies, go for the skinny or straight legs versus the flared bottoms. This will help make your legs look thinner.

You can even use accessories to make you look thinner. Try some large bangles around the writs to make arms look smaller. A big handbag can also help make you look smaller whereas small purses may look too small highlighting your size.

Just for Men

Some of these same rules apply to you men like don’t buy shirts too big, look for vertical stripes, wear dark colors to detract and stay away from flimsy fabrics. Here are some additional things men can do to get a slimmer summer wardrobe.

If you are having problems keeping your shirts tucked in then buy shirts that are labeled “tall”. This will give it that extra fabric you need.

Don’t tuck in the shirt too tight but also don’t blouse it out too much either as this will have the same effect as a shirt that is too large.

Wear a belt that is wide and thick versus the narrow belts. Cinch it up a bit tighter to help keep shirts tucked in.

Make sure your pants fit comfortably at the waist but are not busting at the seams at the thighs. If they are too tight in the thighs, buy a larger pair to fit the thighs and have the waist taken in.

Wear straight leg pants with no pleats. This will avoid the look of tiny ankles and a large mid-section. If the pants fit right, you won’t need the pleats.

Avoid extra bulk in your clothing. Cargo pants and shorts have big bulky pockets that will just add more size to your look.

Empty out your pockets and wallets of anything you don’t need to carry. Those keys, cell phone and overstuffed wallet will add inches to your look.

This month’s recipe is for all you veggie lovers. The great thing about this vegetarian stir-fry is you can put in your favorite veggies and it won’t change the WW points value since veggies are freebies.

Almond Jade Stir-Fry

What You Need for the Dressing:

• 1 1/2 Tbs canola oil, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, halved
• 1/2 cup whole blanched almonds
• Assorted vegetables, thinly sliced (note: carrots were used for the nutritional values shown below)
• 2-3 tsp minced fresh ginger
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 Tbs reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 Tbs cornstarch
• Salt and Pepper to Taste
• 1 tsp Oriental sesame oil (optional)
• 3 cups cooked brown rice

How to Make It:

1. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil and the garlic in large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
2. Add almonds and cook while tossing for about 4 minutes.
3. Remove the garlic and continue to cook almonds for another 4 minutes.
4. Remove the almonds with a slotted spoon and set aside.
5. Add the remaining oil to skillet and increase heat to high.
6. Add vegetables and ginger.
7. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes until crisp and tender. Remember to toss often.
8. Reduce heat to medium.
9. In small bowl combine water, soy sauce and cornstarch and mix thoroughly.
10. Add soy sauce mixture to skillet and cook while tossing about 2 minutes until heated through.
11. Season with salt and pepper.
12. Mix in sesame oil and almonds.
13. Serve with rice.

Number of Servings: 4

Nutrition Information Per Serving

365 calories, 17.2g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 5.6g fiber, 8.3g protein, 46.3g carbohydrates, 467mg sodium, sugar 2.6g.

Org Pts 8
Pts Plus 10

All ingredients are included in the points calculation.

Exercise 4 Weight Loss 2 Achieve Fitness and Health

From your Diet Buddy