It wasn’t until Susan Ledford discovered the power of a fresh, sweet orange that she was able to pass up her biggest indulgence and lose 43 pounds.
A member of a big Southern family that loves food, Susan is no stranger to temptation. When special occasions call for family celebrations, “it’s like a race to see who can make the most disgustingly rich casserole,” says the 36-year-old newspaper designer from Tallahassee, Florida.
Such decadent dishes were standard fare while Susan was growing up. But they weren’t kind to her waistline. She gained weight throughout her teenage years, and by her twenties, she was trying all sorts of diets in an effort to slim down. “I’d go on one diet and lose a few pounds only to watch them return when I went back to my normal eating habits,” she recalls. By age 34, she topped out at 168 pounds.
Knowing that Susan was unhappy with her figure, a friend suggested that she join Weight Watchers. The program taught Susan how to make healthy food choices and control her portion sizes. Within a year, she took off 43 pounds.
Thrilled to have finally reached her goal weight of 125 pounds, Susan was determined to stay there. But she had one dietary hurdle to overcome. Susan loved to bake cookies for her family and friends, especially around the Christmas holidays. She especially enjoyed licking the bowl and sampling each batch fresh from the oven.
Realizing that her taste-testing ways would do nothing for her hard-earned figure, Susan decided to have a healthy snack before baking. Her food of choice: a fresh, juicy orange. She found that the intense flavor of the fruit quashed her cravings for cookies. She was i able to bake to her heart’s content without eating a thing.
Thanks to her ingenious strategy, Susan had an easier time sticking with her healthy eating habits. Her weight has held steady at 125 pounds since 1998.
WINNING ACTION
Feed your sweet tooth an orange. Susan’s strategy has real scientific merit. According to Marilyn C. Majchrzak, R.D., food-development manager at the Canyon Ranch Spa/Health Resort in Tucson, Arizona, intensely flavored foods such as oranges tend to be more satisfying than bland foods. So snacking on something sweet and juicy will help reduce temptation. Keep lots of oranges, fresh pineapple, strawberries, or your favorite tastebud-shocking fruit in your fridge.
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