What kind of Low Fat, Low Sodium, Low Sugar Foods do you eat

Ok, so I need some help with low fat, sodium, and sugar foods. I need to know what kinds of variety of foods you guys eat that are in these categories. These 3 things are my biggest problem areas. I am in desperate need of help.....somehow I have gained about 5-7lbs in a week and a half. I am at a loss because I have been trying to workout more and TRY to eat better but I need more help in the food deparment, so please sny suggestions or advice is welcome!!!!!!!

Thanks,

Jill

I'm so sorry you are having troubles! I know how discouraging that can feel. One thing I did to help me lose 17lbs in 3 weeks was I cut all sugar, all grain, all pasta, all rice, basically carb filled foods, all bread, all processed food. I know after that it sounds like there is nothing left, but there is so much you can do. I would go and buy Foster Farms 97/3 ground turkey meat and cook that and add veggies like zucchini and asparagus. I would only season it with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Those are the only 3 spices I've used. Then I would also shred potatoes for hashbrowns, but I would cook them in coconut oil. It is really good for you.

I also use my blender and make me a drink to fill the sweet cravings. What I like to put into it is basically any berry, but I mostly use raspberries because they are my favorite. Sometimes I will add some strawberries too. I will then (depending on what I have in the house) add a mango and/or a nectarine, a couple italian plums, a banana once in a while (I'm not a huge banana fan, but sometimes I will force myself to eat them), and then I freshly grind some flax seeds to help with keeping my system "working" properly if you get my drift, and then I add water until it reaches the top of all of my ingredients and then I blend it all on high for a couple min until everything is pureed enough and then I drink it. It keeps me full for a while and it tastes amazing! If you don't have the ability to grind the seeds yourself, you can buy them ground already. Also, if the drink isn't sweet enough, maybe the berries were kind of bitter, add some Stevia to it until it is the sweetness you prefer and blend it all together and enjoy! The Stevia sweetener is best to use because it comes from a Herb and is no different than eating basil. It is good for you and doesn't effect your body whatsoever like sugar will or other artificial sweeteners do and it tastes just like sugar! It is natures sweet leaf! If you have a fresh Stevia plant, you could even just add a few leaves to the drink and that would do the same thing as adding the liquid Stevia I'm sure.

Another meal idea I use for myself (because I find it doesn't tire my pallet like the ground turkey tends to) is turkey legs! I put them in the crock pot with a little bit of water to help keep them moist while they cook and I add the same 3 spices I always use, but not too much because turkey has lots of natural salt already. Then, after a few hours of cooking, I de-bone the legs after they are done and I store the meat in a container and put it in the fridge and I eat 2-3 oz at a time and if I'm still hungry after that, then I eat something from the above list of things I've given you.

You can always get creative as well with fruit and nuts. Such as a banana and almost butter (better for you than peanut butter). You can take the banana and smash it up and add some almond butter to it and mix the two together and eat it like a pudding. It has great flavor and it is good for you also!

I hope my ideas have helped you! I wish you great success in the weeks to come. Oh!! Don't forget to drink lots of water also! Water is the ONLY thing I drink outside of the shakes I make myself. I don't drink juice, coffee, tea, milk or soda. Just water.

To aid in the weight loss, I walk everyday. I started out with about 2 miles a day when I first began, but I've gotten up to as high as 12! I am still working my way up to the half-marathon mark and I know I will get there, but only when my body is ready.

Take Care!

I stay away from spice packets and actually mix my own spices and herbs when I cook. This gives me more control over the sodium intake. I keep minced garlic in the icebox and cook with it extensively. Dry spices would be Chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, rosemary, allspice, cloves, etc.

I am moving to using more fresh herbs and vegetables also. (baby spinach, cilantro, onions, bell pepper, poblano pepper, tomatoes, etc.)

As for as fats go, I have eschewed typical hydrogenated vegetable based fats for olive oil and real butter. They actually help with the energy levels. Keep in mind fats themselves are not necessarily bad. The kinds of fat is more important than the raw quantity. For example, if you go over on fat but it is because you included nuts, avocado, butter (sane quantities like 1 tblsp) and tuna steak in your diet for the day; that is not the same thing as going over because you ate a deep dish pepperoni pizza.

I tend to stick to lean meats as well, but shy away from processed meats. Packaged lunch meats are loaded with sodium. As a result I grill a lot of meat at some point on the weekend and then eat on it through out the week.

Cheers.

I wasn't implying that those 3 spices are the only ones that should be used. It was just what I was using.