What foods have you given up to loose weight?

I gave up practically everything I liked. Few years ago it would be unthinkable to me to give up Big Mac, pizza or Chinese food, but this time I did it.

Last year I developed very strong motivation that helped me implement drastic changes in my eating habits. As far as food was concerned, I was determined to do anything humanly possible to lose weight.

Now, most of the days I eat fresh fruits (apples, blackberries, and blueberries), vegetables (lettuce, tomatoes, green and red pepper, cucumbers, carrots, spinach), whole grain bread, turkey breast 99% fat free, grilled skinless chicken breasts and fish.

I lost 46 pounds fast and I would say it happened painlessly. My approach to weight loss is working for me.

My only concern is noticeable muscle loss.

So many changes in food.... I'm finding more and more it is about eating things like good fats, proteins and carbs. I went to the gym for so many years without having the proper knowledge of how important diet was, don't get me wrong exercise is important and I do it 6 days a week but I really know now that it’s 80% diet. I know different things work for different people but honestly I can't believe all I've taken away from using myfitnesspal. The struggle of knowing what to eat is still a daily learning process for me and I find myself eating more and more of the same things because over the last 4 months it has worked so well. I have always eaten pretty good foods (so I thought). As of right now I found what is working for me but I know in a month it could change because i will get bored or I find out something new. I hope that if anyone has good ideas or see changes I could make let me know and I will consider it, try it out and let you know how it works. I am always looking for any information that will help me feel better and live healthy. There is a lot more changes I have made but this is what I could think of.
• instead of Iceberg Lettuce I eat baby spinach
• Instead of eating French salad dressing I use fat free raspberry oil
• instead of eating 95% turkey burger I eat buffalo meat
• instead of eating flavored weight controlled oatmeal I eat 1 minute Oats w/a 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon & ¼ cup of blueberries or raspberries
• Instead of a candy bar I eat a Cliff builders peanut butter bar
• Instead of butter I use smart balance
• Instead of salt I use Mrs. Dash table blend
• Instead of flavored water I drink only water and add lemon, limes or oranges
• Instead of milk I drink almond or coconut milk
• Instead of sugar free red bull I use NO Explode
• I refuse to eat out anymore; I want to control what goes into my food.



Some more tips….
• I always make sure I get good carbs in before 5pm
• Usually either Uncle bens whole grain wheat rice or
• Wheat noodles
• 1 piece Wheat thin bread
• I always eat 4 boiled eats sometime before lunch
• I drink my protein drink right after my workout (I take it w/me and just add water after im done working out at
the gym)
• I eat a piece of fruit right before my work out (usually 1 apple)
• I try to eat 10 or so almonds everyday
• I allow myself to pick one of the following per day for a snack as long as I eat it before 5 pm (I do this because
love snacking and because I have built into my calorie intake)
o 100 calorie bag of popcorn (like smart balance)
o Fat free sugar free cheesecake pudding w/ a little bit of Hersey’s dark cho. Syrup
o Chocolate milk shake made as follows
Dark choc. Almond Milk
¼ cup protein powder
¼ cup frozen yogurt
½ cup ice
Little bit of water

• I eat 2 tsp. everyday of either natural peanut butter or flaxseeds
• I drink only water
• I try really hard not to use any salt or sugar of any kind
• I keep a basket of healthy snacks in my car just in case I find myself in a situation where i need to eat something;
don’t want to stop at a gas station. (almonds, protein bars, a baggie of protein powder)
• I keep a 6 pack of waters in my car