Im new to this "make better choices thing" help ?
MrsHVaughn
Posts: 47
what do you think of light dressing..any downfalls beside taste. or diet soda? Im trying to take small steps so I do not fail this time! adding more salad at lunch and using light becasue I eat alot of calories in dresssing thank you!
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Replies
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Personally, I really don't like diet soda or "light" foods. For myself, I'll eat less of the regular version or choose a dressing that is naturally light. With salad you actually want some fat in your dressing because some of the nutrients are fat soluble.0
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The fine details of "better" choices can be surprisingly controversial. If you use the search function to look up diet soda threads, you'll see what I mean.
What makes something a "better" choice is largely personal. For example, if you find that you're hungry all the time but don't have any calories, you could look at how much fat, protein, and fiber you're getting. A lot of people have success in reducing hunger by increasing those three numbers in their daily calories.
There's nothing wrong light dressing or diet soda, as such, though I'm sure others will disagree.
It really depends on what problems you're having.0 -
Light dressings are usually high in sodium. But plain lettuce tastes crappy. Some people use lemon juice. I use the fat-free Italian Kraft one.
Water is best. If you want to drink the diet pop, have at it. Not lecturing. But water is best. It's cheaper, too.
I think when you make healthy choices, it's best to add them in little by little. Instead of focusing on what you "can't" have, focus on what you're doing FOR yourself. "Look at me, having veggies!" "I'm so awesome, having yummy fruit!" "This lean, white meat is good for me!" That kind of thing. And add it bit by bit, being proud.
The more healthy foods you eat, the better you feel. People who switch off processed food and eat healthy food are NOT lying when they tell you how much better they feel.
Good luck!!0 -
I certainly am no expert, but I do know that the ingredients in the "light" version of things are never good. Better to eat a small amount of "real" food than eat "fake" food. Even better - eat LOTS of "healthy" food like vegetables. Make sure you have enough protein and fat to fill you up, but eat vegetables like they're going out of style.
Fake sugar and fake sweeteners are pretty yucky stuff.0 -
If the salad is the main part of your meal, I'd stick with a regular fat dressing. A tablespoon should do fine. The fat helps your body take in more nutrients from the veggies. 0
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I've stumbled on Yogurt salad dressing which tastes unbelievable. I generally always look at sodium due for blood pressure reasons. Other than that, I don't look for anything "light" today than I did before I was more conscious of calorie intake.0
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I certainly am no expert, but I do know that the ingredients in the "light" version of things are never good. Better to eat a small amount of "real" food than eat "fake" food. Even better - eat LOTS of "healthy" food like vegetables. Make sure you have enough protein and fat to fill you up, but eat vegetables like they're going out of style.
Fake sugar and fake sweeteners are pretty yucky stuff.
I totally agree with this!!!
Even my dietitian advised against staying away from "artificial" things. They're chemically made up to be 'like' the real thing... Just allow yourself to have the real deal but pace yourself and watch your portion sizes!
Today, Myfitnesspal actually posted a pretty good article on artificial sweeteners...All of which are in the diet sodas and things like that! it's worth a read!
https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/2014/09/real-issues-with-artificial-sweeteners/?utm_source=mfp&utm_medium=GooglePlus0 -
See.
The fear mongering has already started.0 -
ALWAYS get the dressing on the side. Dip each bite into the dressing and go easy!! The flavors of the salad/veggies should be what you are tasting. The dressing is just a subtle "flavor enhancer." Not the other way around.
Typically when you see a "light" or "fat free" version of a food/dressing, it could have replaced one thing for another. "Light dressing" may have fewer calories, but when you look at the nutrition label, it may be higher in sodium, or something else, you get the point. Condiments in general are unhealthy, so it's best to always take the "less is better" approach and try not to make your dish taste like the condiment itself.0 -
You might also try some of the vinaigrette dressings which have good flavor without a lot of fat. I can't help with the soda, all I do is water.0
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When it comes to food I prefer regular versions. They tast better. But when I'm wanting or craving a soda I'll buy diet.
There's so much crap in everything we eat (unless you are all organic/natural/hormone free/no preservatives) a little diet here and there isn't going to hurt.0 -
Nothing wrong with a diet coke now and again..0
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When it comes to dressing I've always over poured but when I look at the serving size and realize how much it has I just settle with that much. You don't actually need to drench your salad in dressing if its too nasty without drenching it, then try changing it up and adding less of the nasty stuff until you're use to it. With diet soda I can't say anything about that since I cut that out years ago and went cold turkey. There's no soda in my house and I only drink water but you can try to just drink 100% juice instead of the fizzy stuff. I know that diet soda or artificial sugar in general is full of chemicals, which aren't exactly healthy for you in the long run. I hope this helped and good luck on your healthy lifestyle!0
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I've stumbled on Yogurt salad dressing which tastes unbelievable. I generally always look at sodium due for blood pressure reasons. Other than that, I don't look for anything "light" today than I did before I was more conscious of calorie intake.
Do you mind sharing the brand name of the dressing you are talking about? My daughter currently loves ranch and I would love to see if I can find a better option for her.0 -
what do you think of light dressing..any downfalls beside taste. or diet soda? Im trying to take small steps so I do not fail this time! adding more salad at lunch and using light becasue I eat alot of calories in dresssing thank you!
It really depends on what you are looking for. Some people have issues with some of the "light" dressings, but it's also worth considering why a dressing is lighter. For example, if you eat something like ranch or blue cheese (I used to love blue cheese), it might have lots more calories naturally than some others. If you make dressing at home it can be almost calorie-free without that being due to the addition of anything questionable. For example, I like making dressing from red white vinegar and mustard with some seasoning like garlic or the like. I also like just balsalmic vinegar sometimes, and you can make a really low calorie vinaigrette if you just use less oil and more vinegar, which I always think tastes better anyway.
I don't like to waste calories on dressing (and I'm not worried about getting fat from my dressing as I usually like some nuts or cheese or protein or at least olives on the salad), so I will always choose a decent low calorie dressing over a higher calorie one, personally, but I'm also not particularly worried about sodium or the like since I don't eat a lot of packaged stuff. When buying a salad at a restaurant if I can't find a low calorie dressing I will go without or not use much at all. I also know that even though I prefer making my own dressings sometimes I'm more likely to have salad if I have a dressing at home I like, so I've found a lower calorie one I enjoy to have on hand.
As far as diet soda goes, people have different ideas. I don't think there's any need to cut it out and it might make it unnecessarily harder to get started losing weight, but some feel otherwise. IME, it doesn't hurt weight loss, but you might want to try alternating with water if you tend to drink more than you like and would like more water.0 -
I always drank diet soda and recently have almost entirely eliminated it from my diet. since I have not been drinking diet soda every day I noticed I do not have cravings for sweets like I used to. I eat some things that are light like yogurt and mayonnaise but do not like others. For me eating a real piece of cheese is worth the few extra calories rather than eating low fat cheese that does not taste good.
You will have to try things out for yourself if you like it keep it if not it is ok to opt out.
Good luck0 -
I'm one of those "eat real food, but eat less of it" people, but that's just me. I typically don't use bottled dressing in my salads anymore, but when I do, it's the full-fat version (I just dip my fork in it when I take a bite of the salad). Usually my salads include a little cheese and/or meat and/or avocado, and that gives it enough flavor so I don't feel I need a dressing.
As for diet soda, I don't drink them much anymore. It used to be 1 or 2 a day, and now it's maybe 1 a month, if that. Chilled water is my go-to drink now. I saw friends tring to drop the diet soda habit and experiencing withdrawl symptoms and that was enough to make me want to slow down the consumption. I don't miss it at all now.0 -
I'm one that won't touch soda or diet soda with a ten foot pole.
You should make your own dressing! It's really simple to do, uses simple ingredients. "Light" dressing usually contains a bunch of crap. My go-to recipe is a basic balsamic but you can look up recipes for any dressings you prefer.
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 tbs pure maple syrup
Juice of half a lemon
Shakes of sea salt and cracked pepper
Shake it up and pour over salad.0 -
Also, I would recommend Michael Pollan's books to you.0
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Anything that cuts calories is a step toward weight loss.
However, *some* people report increased cravings for real sugar when they consume artificial sweeteners (according to some studies that a lot of people like to yell and argue about), so just keep an eye on how diet sodas and the like make you feel satiety-wise. Personally, I feel they help enormously with sugar cravings. But some people react differently. Do what works for you.0 -
When it comes to dressings I would one hundred percent recommend Litehouse yogurt dressings. They are usually sold in the refridgerated section by the fresh veg. They are quite low calorie and fat without sacrificing flavor at all. I just did a quick search too as I saw someone mentioned light dressings being high in sodium but it looks like the sodium is even about 1/3 of a full-fat dressing. Additionally, there's a good amount of protein in the dressings too. There is a parmesan caesar, ranch, southwest ranch, honey mustard...I forget what else, but they are all very creamy and satisfying with that yogurt base.
Personally, I don't worry too much about eating food/drinks with the word "diet" on them...I don't eat a lot of sodium anyway so I don't concern myself with the amount that is usually in these foods. It's a personal choice though. A lot of people will tell you to steer clear period.
Seriously though, try the dressing :-) It's the best.0 -
I have learned you have to watch "light" because it usually = MORE SODIUM
I watch calories and sodium, but if that's not a concern for you, no biggie.
I prefer full fat salad dressing and I've learned to make a little go a long way. Or there are tons of recipes to make your own 0 -
I can't even remember the last time I just poured salad dressing on a salad. I tend to have so much in my salad I don't notice it's missing. For example taco salad is a favorite of mine, could eat it almost daily and I put plain greek yogurt on the top sometimes mixed with salsa and it does the trick for me. I also find myself using avacado in salads, chopped hard boiled eggs, feta or cottage cheese and so on. I even make a cheeseburger salad which I just use mustard and ketchup over the salad like I would a burger.
I will say when I want buttermilk ranch or greek dressings I have them without guilt however I don't pour them over the salad I go for them on the side and yes silly as it sounds sometimes I forget to even dip the veggies.
Personally I enjoy diet soda on occasion when going out for a meal but my drink of choice is always water but I'm one of those people who just likes the taste of nice ice cold water.
My best advice is to experiment, you have to find what works for you and you're getting some good feedback here so good luck to you with a little effort you'll discover some great things.0 -
Agree with Dawn - if you really need a ton of dressing, your salad isn't interesting enough in the first place.
But beyond that, there is no right answer. You don't have to use them to lose weight but there's nothing wrong with lighter dressings - I don't always use them, but if you enjoy the taste and it saves some calories over a heavier option, then what's the issue? There are days when I would bleed diet coke if cut, but that has yet to matter in any way, shape or form when it comes to weight loss and overall fitness. Don't lose sight of the forest for the trees; artificial sweeteners and sodium are not particularly relevant for fat loss.0 -
I'm not a fan of low fat/ fat free dressings, only because I don't like the taste. I measure out my dressing and just eat less of it, and I've gotten used to that. Someone else mentioned the yogurt-based dressings, which I agree are really tasty.
As for diet soda, if you like the flavour, go for it. I personally don't like the taste so I drink Zevia every once in a while. It's made with stevia instead of aspartame, still 0 calorie.0 -
what do you think of light dressing..any downfalls beside taste. or diet soda? Im trying to take small steps so I do not fail this time! adding more salad at lunch and using light becasue I eat alot of calories in dresssing thank you!
Keep in mind that you asked, 'what do you think....?' Because that's all you're going to get is opinions. No one who replies in this thread will have legit studies to back up their opinions / claims. What that might tell you is, that your opinion / guess is as good as theirs.
I think you're wise to take small steps, and not make many gigantic moves all at once.
If you were consuming 1,000 calories a day in Dr Pepper, then, switching to Diet Dr Pepper seems a pretty logical choice. You have to make up your own mind, if you think replacing it with 96 oz of diet soda is a sensible thing to do. You could simply try to drop your regular Dr Pepper habit down to something a bit more 'reasonable,' like 1 X 250 calorie can per day. The neat thing about the entire MFP method is that you make all the choices. Perhaps your goal is to stop drinking soda altogether. Then, you could try switching to diet, and then cutting down. What are your goals regarding your soda consumption?
No one who replies is going to be able to prove that low calorie dressings are any more 'harmful' to you than full fat, full calorie versions. If all you're after is minimal calories in everything.... go for it. Otherwise, you'll have to do a lot of research to formulate an opinion on whether or not there's any risk to basically, any food.
I look forward to the various opinions you elicit in this thread.0 -
I've stumbled on Yogurt salad dressing which tastes unbelievable. I generally always look at sodium due for blood pressure reasons. Other than that, I don't look for anything "light" today than I did before I was more conscious of calorie intake.
Do you mind sharing the brand name of the dressing you are talking about? My daughter currently loves ranch and I would love to see if I can find a better option for her.
Bolthouse Farms Ranch is pretty fantastic as such things go. Sold in the veggie section of most grocery chains.0 -
I used to do light, diet, and fat free all the time, and with those were so many failed efforts at keeping the weight off. I think those type of foods were making me hungry for real food.what do you think of light dressing..any downfalls beside taste. or diet soda? Im trying to take small steps so I do not fail this time! adding more salad at lunch and using light becasue I eat alot of calories in dresssing thank you!
Last year I decided to start eating real food that I love, to learn moderAtion, and that's when things started to change for me. For the first time in my life-and I was born fat and stayed fat until about 12 years ago-I have been able unreasonably maintain my weight.
If something is light and I taste it and I like it, I'll eat it but only because I like it. I gave up diet coke because the caffeine makes me want my and bloated, and I don't like the taste of the caffeine free kind. I personally hate sugary soda.
Eat real food, drink beverages you like, but log you food and drink so that you stay within your calorie goals.0 -
what do you think of light dressing..any downfalls beside taste. or diet soda? Im trying to take small steps so I do not fail this time! adding more salad at lunch and using light becasue I eat alot of calories in dresssing thank you!
What I've found in past (failed) attempts at weightloss is that if I switch to lower calorie versions of things that aren't necessarily great for you anyway (like soda pop) I just saw a "light version" as an excuse to have more of it because it came in under my calories. I'm not saying don't do it, just be careful!
I have to say though, making your own versions of favourite treats, even down to salad dressing, you can generally save money, calories and additives over time, and when you stick to it, which I plan on doing this time, it does make you feel a whole lot better. I also find that though I'm spending more time in the kitchen I enjoy my food more, meaning I don't feel the need to scoff it all at once and often want to make it last as long as I can!
Good luck to you and feel free to add me if you want
Han x0 -
what do you think of light dressing..any downfalls beside taste. or diet soda? Im trying to take small steps so I do not fail this time! adding more salad at lunch and using light becasue I eat alot of calories in dresssing thank you!
Keep in mind that you asked, 'what do you think....?' Because that's all you're going to get is opinions. No one who replies in this thread will have legit studies to back up their opinions / claims. What that might tell you is, that your opinion / guess is as good as theirs.
I think you're wise to take small steps, and not make many gigantic moves all at once.
If you were consuming 1,000 calories a day in Dr Pepper, then, switching to Diet Dr Pepper seems a pretty logical choice. You have to make up your own mind, if you think replacing it with 96 oz of diet soda is a sensible thing to do. You could simply try to drop your regular Dr Pepper habit down to something a bit more 'reasonable,' like 1 X 250 calorie can per day. The neat thing about the entire MFP method is that you make all the choices. Perhaps your goal is to stop drinking soda altogether. Then, you could try switching to diet, and then cutting down. What are your goals regarding your soda consumption?
No one who replies is going to be able to prove that low calorie dressings are any more 'harmful' to you than full fat, full calorie versions. If all you're after is minimal calories in everything.... go for it. Otherwise, you'll have to do a lot of research to formulate an opinion on whether or not there's any risk to basically, any food.
I look forward to the various opinions you elicit in this thread.
While I agree that it's all about choices and there is no "right" way to do this (beside achieving a sustainable deficit), I personally have a goal of not just losing weight but also gaining more nutrition from my food. Also, increasing fat in my diet and at least prioritizing less processed foods seems to have made a huge difference in my tendencies to overeat.0
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