Healthy alternative for my addictions!!

sparkle814

I eat cheese and peanut butter every day and have lost 22 pounds in about two months. Definitely portion control. I will have one tablespoon of peanut butter every day with an apple or a banana (as opposed to eating like six tablespoons out of the jar like I used to...eek) and one piece of cheese. I also love cheddar but realized it's really high in saturated fat, so while I still have it occasionally, my go-to cheese is now reduced fat string cheese (mozzarella).

I also have PB2 and love it. If I need a big dose of peanut butter bc one tablespoon isn't gonna cut it, I'll prep some PB2 instead. If I feel like I need 2 or 2 tablespoons it's 90 to 135 calories instead of 200 to 300. Big difference! I also put a scoop in my oatmeal sometimes, or in with yogurt.

As far as chips, some of the baked ones are just as satisfying (to me at least) for a lot less calories. I also like mini rice cakes and 100 calorie bags of popcorn.

Good luck! I hope you find a way to keep eating the things you love!

aberc

I love cheese, too. Try some Non-fat Plain Greek Yogurt from Stonyfield or Fage. It really does taste similar to cheese. Not exactly cheddar, but cheese of a sort..

sparkle814

Also, I love almond butter, too! I will have that some days instead of peanut butter. To me it's just as tasty, in a different way. If you are concerned about fat grams and calories, though, it's really no better or worse than regular old peanut butter.

StrongPursuits3

Peanut butter is healthy, if you buy it organic or if you purchase the right brands: look for the brands that are simply peanut and peanut oil. It's only detrimental to your health if you purchase the peanut butters that have loads of added sugars, or additives. Actually, the PB2 somebody suggested (which I've tried on a few occasions) is rather unhealthy, due to the fact that it has the fat removed. The fats in peanut butter (where a majority of the calories come from) are healthy, and are what make the peanut butter filling. If anything, I would imagine that you'd be more likely to binge eat when it comes to a food that you tend to overindulge in that doesn't fill you up, as opposed to a food that you tend to overindulge in, that does fill you up. Oh, and it's crazy expensive as well, as a little side note. You barely get much peanut butter, yet it's hard to find it cheaper than $6/7 a jar (you need to also remember that it's powder, and therefore becomes half a jar of peanut butter, once you add the appropriate amount of water).

Personally, (outside of water that is), I don't see foods as good or bad. When you think about it, all foods fulfill one nutritional need or another. For that reason, I think that our portion sizes and frequencies can be unhealthy, but not the actual foods themselves. I mean, there is nothing wrong with peanut butter, and if anything it can be quite healthy. However, that only applies if you are consuming the peanut butter in moderation. A few tablespoons of peanut butter is healthy, but as I'm sure you know, the whole jar is not. (As a side note: I am totally guilty of taking the spoon right to a fresh jar, and not stopping until I'm scraping the sides with my fingers).

Anyways! Merely as a suggestion: you may want to stop looking at food in such black and white terms. No food is inherently good or bad, however (like i said) your portions/frequencies in such foods may be. If you find that you're just not able to control yourself around foods such as cheese or peanut butter, you may want to avoid them merely until you find out what it is that is causing you to be so overly indulgent, with them. If possible, find other foods that cause you to have these 'obsessions' as you call them, yet in lower intensities.

For example: my binge foods are pop tarts, peanut butter, and honey. I'm guilty of consuming these foods straight out of their containers, and if I purchase them, not stopping until I've consumed every last crumb. For that reason, instead of viewing these foods as 'bad' (since they are in-fact a healthy part of my diet, when consumed in moderation), I am merely find more ways to have healthy portions. Right now, I realize the fact that I don't exactly think logically around these foods, so I make sure that I don't buy them. I know that I cannot control my portion size around them, so why bother? That being said, I am looking for other foods that I sometimes have this 'self control problem' around, and I am building up an endurance of sorts, to my cravings and unhealthy habits of indulgence. I hope that one day I can work back up to having a jar of peanut butter in front of me, yet only having a few spreads, as opposed to the entire jar in an hour. It's taking a lot of energy, but I'd like to think that having a healthy relationship with food is totally worth the time and effort.

Perhaps you could work to find healthier alternatives to your cravings, until you find that you have the ability to overcome whatever is causing you to overindulge, and eat them in healthy portions?

Merely a ramble and a few ideas. Best of luck, with however you choose to tackle this!

LilEmm

You could go with feta cheese- it's salty and briny so it's fulfilling the fat/salt craving. Do you have avocados where you live? I find those are a nice sub for cheese.

I echo the peanut butter/almond butter enthusiasm. It's a good protein and all about portions!

Lilianam881

I'm with you on the cheese and peanut butter. What I do is try to incorporate it in a healthy meal instead of eating it by itself. When eating it by itself you will have a lot more like half a block of cheese! My advice is to stick to the serving size and have it as a snack or in a meal. I like to put 2 tbl peanut butter in a protein shake or have it as a snack w/ celery or an apple. cheddar cheese and red grapes together tastes awesome! But remember its the amount of it that counts because calories do add up!

Also try healthier alternatives of the same stuff like instead of regular peanut butter I buy organic peanut butter from Whole Foods. You can still have the stuff you like just with moderation and think about its quality as well. If you're going to eat what you like make sure it's the best wholesome nutrient rich product that your body wil benefit from

dubird

PB on apples is AWESOME, espically a very tart apple like Granny Smiths. It takes a bit of prep if you want to limit your PB intake, but having it on apple wedges stretches it out and makes you feel like you're eating more. Just don't dip the apple slices straight into the jar. *ahem*

As for cheese, I love the Laughing Cow wedges. Haven't tried the low-fat ones, but I've found that one of the regular wedges with Triscits are pretty darn tasty! Shredded cheese is good too, I always put some on my salads for salad days. I've had to really cut my amount of dressing, but it's worth it!

Judas_Queen

Do you have PB2 available where you are? It's real peanut butter but in powder form, and 85% lower in calories. You add a bit of water and it's lovely, or you can add it to a protein shake.

No!!!!

Please OP don't resort to this.

Just stick with the regular peanut butter.

It's good for you. If you go down this route next thing you know you're getting fat free mayo and drinking light beer. And then you'll be thin. Thin and friendless because nobody wants to hang out with a PB2 eating, fat free mayo consuming, light beer drinking food snob who can't figure out that moderation is the key to weight loss.

you are my hero