Best tip ever!

Paolinat

One day, long ago, I was having a conversation with my friend about losing weight. She had a friend (a model) who told her that no matter what she ate, eat a cup of vegetables beforehand. I thought, "cup of vegetables and chocolate don't really go together."

Well, last week I lost just 1 lb. Yes, I still lost weight, but I have a goal and 1 lb a week is not it.

So...

I decided to eat vegetables when I was craving something sweet (slightly cooked sugar snap peas definitely hit the spot)
I decided to eat vegetables when I was craving something savory ( homemade non-fat tzatziki sauce blended with raw spinach and 5 almonds is low cal, nutritionally balance and yummy smoothie)
When I wanted something sweet and savory: slightly cooked baby carrots tossed with Balsamic vinegar.

The food combo may not sound appealing to you 9I can suggest many different combos) but choosing vegetables worked and I am back on target.

I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SAYING... "Girl, sugar snap peas are nothing like some good chocolate." You are right.

However, the sugar snap peas fill me up and chocolate only has me craving more food, namely chocolate :-)

After eating 1.5 serving of sugar snap peas, I do want chocolate, but the 71 calories made of 4.5g fiber, 4.5g protein and 6g sugar has got me so full, I have no room for chocolate. I am also NOT HUNGRY for hours! WOO HOO!

I used to eat a Fiber One bar for the fiber and for my chocolate fix. HORRIBLY WRONG MOVE!

Look at ingredients: Chicory root extract, chocolate chips with confectioners shellac (chocolate chips [Sugar, Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter, Dextrose, Milk Fat, Soy Lecithin, Ethanol, Shellac, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil]), Rolled Oats, Crispy Rice (Rice Flour, Sugar Malt, Salt), Barley Flakes, High Maltose Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar, Canola Oil, Honey, Glycerin, Maltodextrin, Palm Kernel Oil, Tricalcium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Nonfat Milk, Peanut Oil, Cocoa Processed with Alkalin, Natural Flavor, Baking Soda, Color Added, Almond Flour, Sunflower Meal, Wheat Flour, Mixed Tocopherols Added to Retain Freshness.

7 different sugars including corn syrup!
Hydrogenated oil!
Palm kernel oil and Peanut oil (the worst of the oils)

1/2 serving Fiber One bar =

70 calories
2g fat (26% calories come from fat)
5 g sugar
5 g sugar alcohol (no nutritional use)
4.5g fiber
1g protein
5% Calcium, 1% Iron, no significant amounts of Vitamin A or C

1.5 serving of sugar snap peas (147g, about 12 peas) =

61.5 calories
0g fat
6g sugar
3.8g fiber
4.1g protein
6% Calcium, 16.5% Iron, 31.5% Vitamin A, 147% Vitamin C

NOTE: When you eat equal amounts of protein and carbs it prevent sugar highs and lows and gives you sustained energy.

Hope this helps. Good Luck!

90poundsoflard

Good idea! I'm gonna try this.

dinkybird

Thanks for the tip, it was very informative! I never thought to mixed carrots with balsalmic vinegar. I'm gonna try it next.

cleo77

thanks for the tip, it makes sense.

heather0mc

*clicks on non-existent like button* great info!!

1ofthegang

That smoothie sounds really interesting...

chuckyp

I wouldn't mind the recipe for your non-fat tzatziki. I love dipping pita chips in that stuff. Yum.

Fruit4dessert

Thanks for this, I need reminders to eat more veggies and this really motivated me!

hparke

I used to eat a Fiber One bar for the fiber and for my chocolate fix. HORRIBLY WRONG MOVE!

Look at ingredients: Chicory root extract, chocolate chips with confectioners shellac (chocolate chips [Sugar, Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter, Dextrose, Milk Fat, Soy Lecithin, Ethanol, Shellac, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil]), Rolled Oats, Crispy Rice (Rice Flour, Sugar Malt, Salt), Barley Flakes, High Maltose Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Sugar, Canola Oil, Honey, Glycerin, Maltodextrin, Palm Kernel Oil, Tricalcium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin, Salt, Nonfat Milk, Peanut Oil, Cocoa Processed with Alkalin, Natural Flavor, Baking Soda, Color Added, Almond Flour, Sunflower Meal, Wheat Flour, Mixed Tocopherols Added to Retain Freshness.

7 different sugars including corn syrup!
Hydrogenated oil!
Palm kernel oil and Peanut oil (the worst of the oils)

This food industry is crazy! I thought shellac was used to seal wood and stuff and they put it in our food just to make it look pretty?? interesting read...

happy_vegan

aghhhh soooooo true! great post

fuzzymel

This is something I have been doing. Discovered it by accident when looking for a snack.

I had my tv night last night and usually I enjoy chocolate/ice cream. Last night I had raw carrots and sugarsnap peas. Really enjoyed it and it satisfied my hunger.

Paolinat

nonfat tzatziki.. Super easy!

1/2 - 24oz Greek Gods nonfat Greek Yogurt
2-3 mini cucumbers finely chopped. They are seedless and I don't peel them.*
Pinch kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Mix it all together and you have tzatziki. Leave in fridge for at least 4 hours to let all the flavors merge and enjoy.


If you want to thicken it a bit, you can add olive oil, which takes away the nonfat.

droppin_lbs

Bump for recipe - thanks!

lhague

I know this sounds crazy, but when I crave something sweet, I eat a couple of radishes. I know...CRAZY!!!

There is something about the crunch and that burst of strong flavor (I like them) that I no longer crave sweets.

Rubie81

I'm not big on veggies so this is a good thread for me to follow. I have been doing a lot of cooked spinach and that is yummy.

amycal

*clicks on non-existent like button* great info!!

Me too LOL!

txbabes1

thanks for the tip! I don't think I'll keep eating the FiberOne bars. ...

milaxx

Great tip and recipe, if I might add, I'd switch to another brand of yogurt because the Greek God brand contains:

Ingredients: Pasteurized Grade A Non-fat Milk, Inulin, Pectin, and Active Cultures: S. Thermophilus, L. Bulgaricus, L. Acidophilus, Bilfidobacterium, L. Casei.

I'd prefer a yogurt that only contains milk and active cultures like FAGE or Chobani

Atlantique

This works when you go out to dinner, too. When I used to travel extensively for work, I was in the best shape of my life. I never got to pick the restaurants--clients did.

I always ordered a salad as an appetizer and ate all of it. Then when my entree came, I ate the vegetabe first. By then, it really didn't matter what I'd ordered for dinner, as I wasn't going to be able to eat very much of it anyway. I was one of the only people in my job who maintained their weight! It works!