All those holiday parties, dinners, drop-ins with family and friends, and those cookies for Santa have definitely made an impression on your figure. Not a good one. And if you’re like most people, your first resolution for 2011 is to starve yourself back into shape. But let’s face it, going cold turkey after the tree is down and the gifts are returned will eventually drive you right to the cupboard for that fruitcake you otherwise would never dream of eating. So how can you ease yourself into 2011 without the pain and the inevitable re-gain? Jill Schafer, who, along with mom Joy, owns Jilly B’s in Cherry Hill, has a suggestion: Jilly B’s non-fat or low-fat frozen yogurt.
“A lot of people think that forcing themselves to stop eating sweets will get them back into shape,” says Jill, whose shop stocks the town’s most sinful cupcakes, as well as impossibly rich low-fat yogurt. “But in most cases, that starvation diet is going to be counter-productive.” Jill suggests that the post-Yule dieter can still delight in something cool and sweet. She goes on to say that the store’s frozen yogurt is low in fat, but loaded with probiotics, which many believe help boost the immune system, enhance digestion, and possibly even lower cholesterol. “Besides, it really tastes creamy. It’s hard to believe that it’s low in fat and calories, but it really, really is!”
The calorie count is impressively low, too. Jill says her frozen yogurt has fewer than half the calories of ice cream: in fact, while Jilly B’s non-fat and low-fat yogurt weigh in at 100 calories for a four-ounce serving, a comparable serving of ice cream from your local creamery can run from 256 (for Cold Stone chocolate) to 272 (for Cold Stone vanilla). The fat content is, as the name would imply, amazingly low. For example, a four-ounce serving of Jilly B’s non-fat yogurt has less than one gram of fat, and the low-fat version has two grams, while Baskin Robbins or Cold Stone ice cream packs a hefty 13 to 16 grams for their chocolate and vanilla flavors.
“Just watch your portions and your toppings,” she says. “Don’t order the double dip. Portion size, we’re told over and over, really matters. Stick to a small serving, and eat it slowly; it won’t melt all THAT quickly. Next – and this may take some will-power – avoid those pretty multicolored toppings. Instead of M & M’s and sprinkles, opt for strawberries and pineapple. They’ve got lots of flavor, plus plenty of eye appeal.” And there’s variety: Jilly B’s yogurt comes in six flavors: original, chocolate, vanilla, coffee, raspberry, and peanut butter.
So now that the holidays are over, keep the spirit and lose the pounds. You CAN enjoy something sweet without rocking the sleigh. No, friends, there may not be a Santa Claus, but there is a Jilly B’s. And that’s magic enough.
Jilly B’s is located at 100 Springdale Road in Cherry Hill. For more information, call 856-795-BEES (2337) or visit shopjillybs.com. Yogurt is available until 10 p.m.
