5 cups 1/4-inch thick peeled sweet potato slices
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions:

Sprinkle potato slices with rosemary. Add garlic, salt to your liking, and oil. Toss slices in oil and seasoning. Spread evenly in a baking dish. Cover with lid or foil, and bake at 400 degrees F for 25- 30 minutes. Remove covering and turn potatoes over.  Bake another 5 – 10 minutes uncovered or until potatoes are tender. and top is a nice golden brown color.

2 1/2 lbs Ground chuck or lean ground beef
16 ozs Cheddar or american cheese, shredded
1/2 lb Bacon, cooked crispy
1 Large tomato, chopped
1 Large onion, chopped
2 Large dill pickles, chopped

Instructions:

Brown ground beef and onion in large skillet or dutch oven, drain as usual and return to pan. Layer on half of cheese, stir into mixture to get melting, stir in tomato, then top with rest of cheese and crumbled bacon. Cover and simmer to let cheese melt. Serve with pickles or cucumbers on the side, and a salad. This also goes great with a mock potato salad and is the perfect compliment to your low carb cookout.

2 cups water
1 package sugar free vanilla pudding
1 package sugar free strawberry jello
4 cups Strawberries
fat free whipped topping (optional)

Instructions:

Bring water and pudding mix to boil. Take off stove, add package of jello and stir. Allow to cool. Line a pie plate with sliced strawberries. Pour pudding on top of strawberries. Allow to set in refrigerator for at least one hour until firm or overnight for best result. Top with fat free whipped topping if desired.

Here are some tips to help you safely drop 3,500 from your regular routine:

Run

Running for about 1 hour at a slow pace will help you lose approximately 350 calories, depending on your body type, speed and terrain. Thus, if you run for one hour five days a week while maintaining a consistent diet, you will safely lose one pound.

It is important to understand that many people who just begin running will eat pasta and other foods high in carbohydrates in order to compensate for the exertion. They think that because they worked out so hard, they deserve a treat. After all, they justify, the pasta will help to keep their energy levels high.

However, what they may not realize is that while they are justified in thinking that the carbohydrates will infuse their workout routine with energy, they are not actually setting their bodies up to lose weight. When you burn 350 calories but intake 450 over a high-carbohydrate pasta dish, you are adding more calories to your body than you otherwise would have.

Running does, however, help to boost our metabolism and change your muscle tone so that you burn calories more efficiently. Instead of inhaling a pasta dish after a run, select instead to have a large salad and splurge for the carbohydrate-rich croutons.

Eat In

When you eat out at a restaurant, not only are you subjecting your body to an array of high fat, high calorie foods, but you are also tempting yourself to eat a larger portion than you might normally eat. Therefore, what could be a simple 500 calories meal can easily turn into a 1500-calorie fat fest. In order to lose weight by cutting calories, it is essential that you are aware of exactly what you are putting into your body. Especially in the beginning of your new routine, it is important that you prepare your meals and monitor your level of hunger.

When eating out, generally you are in a social situation where food is not a priority – but spending time with your friends is. For this reason, people tend to eat more than they normally would. Non-dessert eaters often even spring for the extra round of calories. If you must eat out, help yourself avoid temptation by selecting a salad rather than a plate of pasta or burger. You will be amazed at the difference in the amount of calories you intake when you make simple choices such as meal option.

By reducing your overall calorie intake and increasing your level of physical activity, you will be able to lose those 3,500 calories without much trouble. Make sure that you stay focused, motivated and on task. You’ll shed unwanted weight in no time!