Eliminate Late Night Snacking, Baked Tortellini, Stability Ball Bench Press

Tip of the Day: Eliminate Late Night Snacking

I know, you've heard it everywhere: Don't snack after 8 pm. It really is a great way to lower your calorie intake for the day, but it doesn't always work for everyone. If you don't get off work 'till 8 pm and you haven't eaten dinner yet, should you skip dinner all together? No. Eating dinner that late really won't effect you metabolism as much as everyone says. In fact, eating dinner that late could actually be a good thing! It'll help you to avoid late night snacking. Another way to avoid late night snacking is to eat a healthy afternoon snack such as a fruit or vegetable that will help you feel full. That way you don't feel like you haven't eaten since lunch time, your belly feels fuller, and you avoid snacking on things that only make you feel good while you're eating them!

Healthy Recipe: Baked Tortellini

Even when you're dieting, you need a delicious, savory dish like this one. I love tortellini, so I was SO happy to find this recipe that uses a light cream sauce!

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 cups low-fat milk, heated
• 1/2 cup grated fontina cheese, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 pound fresh or frozen cheese tortellini, preferably low-fat (look in freezer section for the one w/ lowest fat)
  
• 1/4 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 4 individual gratin dishes or a 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish with cooking spray. Put a pot of water on to boil for cooking pasta.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add hot milk and bring to a simmer, whisking, until smooth and slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1/4 cup fontina and nutmeg, stirring to melt cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl.
3. Meanwhile, cook tortellini in boiling salted water until just tender, 6 to 8 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse well. Toss with the cheese sauce.
4. Divide the tortellini among the prepared dishes. Top with remaining 1/4 cup fontina. Mix breadcrumbs and Parmesan in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over gratins. Bake gratins for until golden and bubbly, 15 to 25 minutes. Serve immediately.

Exercise: Stability Ball Bench Press

Stability balls are awesome! You can use one for pretty much any exercise, and it'll only help your results! It helps you focus on your balance and stability while you're doing a simple exercise, making the exercise harder for your body to perform. And you know, the harder you push your body, the better results you're going to get?

Grab a dumbbell in each hand and lie on your back on a stability ball with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Raise the weights above your chest, palms facing forward. Lower the right dumbbell to the side of your chest, pause, then press the weight back to the starting position as quickly as possible. Repeat on the left side. That is one rep. Do 2 sets of 15.