Why do we all like pastries so much? The problem is that most pastries are simply delicious, regardless of flavor. If you are trying to lose weight but you also love the mouth-watering flavors associated with pastry, we wanted to provide a few pointers on how these delicious items could fit into your efforts to shed a few pounds.
For starters, you need to know the number of calories in a pastry item. For instance, an average 2-ounce flaky pastry has almost 300 calories, while a “puff” pastry could contain as much as 600 calories. Obviously, these numbers count when trying to lose weight. Although it would be best to avoid pastries as a whole, if you want to have a splurge day, you could still enjoy your favorite food by choosing the lower calorie product.
One factor you might want to consider when you think about giving up at least some of your favorites, such as baked goods, is the fat content. For instance, fried foods, such as many pastries we enjoy, have a high fat content, especially those with cheese or cream fillings. These may be the most tempting when we are standing at the buffet line or delicatessen counter, but just a little self-control here can mean cutting a lot of fat and calories out of the diet.
There is another way to keep some of these delicious baked goods in the diet while still cutting down on calorie and fat intake. In this case, simply pay close attention to serving size. Look for the smaller baked items in the display case or read the serving size and calorie information on the package. One source I have been reading about lately emphasizes that cutting just 500 calories from what we eat each day can lead to a one pound weight loss for the week.
While it may be best for some of us not to eat sweets or high-fat baked goods at all, there are ways to keep some of these treats “on the table” for enjoyment and still take off some of that excess weight.