little changes that could make a HUGE diff?

to angusfam5, about the splenda: dunno if you've used that stuff before, but I thought I was doing great things by getting that sweetness in my coffee and zero calories - until it started affecting my whole digestive system!! after reading up on it, I realized my problems (which I thought were somehow diet-related, even though I eat very healthfully) - were all because of using splenda. I stopped using it, switched back to regular or raw sugar and honey, in smaller amounts, and I haven't had ANY problems since. it's kind of freaky to think of all the chemicals in that sweetner and the processing that goes on... just my 2 cents anyway! it's worth the few calories for REAL sugar, to me

SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME! When I decided to use Splenda to help "cut out" some sugar calories, it messed with my appetite and digestion. In fact, after paying attention for a few weeks, I really believe that Splenda was making me feel even more hungry and may have even sparked a few binges! I stick with the real sugar now.

WHEAT INSTEAD OF WHITE! (this could make all the difference)

Read your labels. Go for the highest fiber & highest protein. (it's ok if it means a little more fat)

Whole foods are better. Anything pre-processed will be harder for your body to deal with.

Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. I HIGHLY recommend Chobani

Find a farmer's market. They tend to be organic, without the all the price difference (especially fruits and veggies)

Incorporate a cup of tea a day into your diet.... Detox teas, Mint teas, and White teas are great cleansers (check out Yogi Teas, they're my favorite)

Use more leafy greens! They too are cleansers.

Ok... I think that's enough lol

I don't know why, but Chobani doesn't do it for me. I am a big fan of Fage. Here in the US you can buy it at Costco for a better price than the supermarket (assuming it's not on sale at the supermarket). Of course that's my Costco - I know not all Costcos carry the same products.

- I used to drink juice with my breakfast (orange, cranberry, etc). Now I just have water.
- Snack on dried cranberries (no sugar added) and raw almonds if you need a sweet snack.
- Swapped all other yogurts for Greek yogurt. It's the only yogurt I've eaten for the past 4 years!

I use Almond Milk instead of milk in my cereal and coffee (if I drink it). I use the unsweetened original (b/c the flavors and sweetened are too sweet I think). 40 calories a cup. Occasionally I use the French Vanilla Soy Creamer if I'm wanting a treat. I don't know what the calories are compared to normal creamer but there isn't any cholesterol which I know normal creamer is loaded with.

I use Agave Nectar for my sweetener. It is 60 calories a tablespoon but it's considered a complex sugar and all natural (so it's low glycemic) which I like. You can also easily swap it out for white sugar almost every where.

Currently Vegetarian Times website is running a 28 veg bootcamp. They have four weeks worth of recipes posted that show 400 calories breakfast, lunch and dinner ideas with 200 calorie snacks. You could easily throw in some meat if you aren't vegetarian. The food is awesome (I'm a 10 year vegetarian).

I tried to use e-mealz.com but the vegetarian menu just swapped loads of cheese and fake meat products for meat so I quit. They do have a low carb meal plan though. I loved the idea of the website, I just didn't care for the vegetarian meals chosen.