Fierce Tip #3: Eat Pizza (The Right Way!)

Multigrain Pizza with Low-Fat/Sodium Cheese & Broccoli

Here's an eyeopener for a lot of people. You can eat cheese. Heck, you can eat bread. Whoa, you can eat bread! Neither is detrimental to your diet. In fact cheese is high in protein and calcium. And, those dreaded carbs everyone wants to avoid? Well, based on a 2,000 calorie diet, 45-60% of your caloric intake should be from carbohydrates. Why? Carbs are the body's preferred type of energy- fast energy. Plus, whole-grains give you necessary fiber.

So, why does pizza get a bad rep? It all comes down to quality. Yes, pizza can be super fattening and very unhealthy if done the wrong way. Majority of cheeses are high in sodium, saturated fats, and cholesterol which can lead to heart disease and high blood pressure. White bread offers little to no nutritional value. And, more times than not white bread is processed.

And, this is why you need to order pizza the right way. Many restaurants and pizzerias are now offering healthier choices. Choose multigrain crust and low-fat and low-sodium cheeses instead. Also, consider adding a fresh veggie on top. Veggies add vitamins and nutritional value to your pizza! My personal faves includes broccoli, mushrooms. fresh garlic, onions, and red peppers. I would try and steer clear of bacon and sausage, as that only adds to the total fat. Trust me, the veggies will not only suffice but satisfy!

Greek Pizza
(Multigrain crust, feta cheese, tomatoes,
olives, arugula, onions, light balsamic drizzle)

It also comes down to... potion control! Having two slices of pizza once a week is not going to damage your waistline. If you eat nothing but pizza every day for dinner, that's another story. Hey, I wish I could eat pizza every day, but everything must be eaten in moderation, hence balanced diet.

An extra fierce tip to eating pizza that I have acquired as of late is blotting. Yes, taking a paper napkin and slightly blotting before you gobble can save you calories and unwanted fat. Studies say it shaves only 36 calories, but I think the most beneficial part is the fat that is removed. I'd rather it be on a napkin than in my arteries! For the best blotting, simply lay napkin on top of warm pizza. The "pizza blot" does not work on cold pizza since most of the fat has been absorbed already. If you do it on steaming hot pizza, however, the cheese will stick to the napkin which is quite unpleasant. Let the pizza cool off, but not too much, before blotting.

Pizza is a dish best served without the guilt. If you follow the above tips, I assure you there will be no guilt, just delicious pizza. As for this teenage girl, she will not be giving up pizza anytime soon. And, why should I when pizza can be fiercely healthy?

Well, that's all I have for today's fierce tip. Peace... 

-a! Get it?

I'm a cornflake.

Continue being fierce.

-Kelsey

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