As a good California girl, sometimes I just need some Mexican food. We have all been there right? You have a craving for a certain food and cannot get it out of our head?
There are three ways to approach this…
Go big or go home! Indulge full on in the craving no matter how many calories and don’t look back. Fill the belly up!
Find a happy medium. Satisfy the craving but maybe restrict the portion size or some of the ingredients
Rely on willpower. Just say no to it all.
It probably doesn’t surprise most of you that I am a big fan of Option #2.
So how do I make it work with Mexican food? Lets break it down..
Find a protein. Grilled chicken, steak, pork or fish are all great choices. Avoid the fattier meats or creamier sauces.
Find your starch. Mexican food often has chips to start and then tortillas, rice and beans…that is just too many starches for one mean! Consider choosing 1-2 servings total. I usually avoid the chips, no rice, yes to beans and some of the tortilla depending on my mood.
Find your fat. Guacamole, cheese, sour cream are all add-ons and full of fat as well as stewed meat and chips have extra fat. What are you really craving?? What could you live without? Figure out how to make it satiating and satisfying without going over the top
Pack it with flavor. Limes, salsa, pickled spicy carrots and jalapeños are full of taste and no calories – go for it!
Consider the portion size. Maybe you do not want to restrict any of your favorite fixings. Could you eat less? Consider eating half of what you normally would eat and see if that works for you.
Now I seriously need a burrito….