<p>EPTR - when my Garmin starts “recalculating” I figure it’s thinking “why don’t you just go where I tell you to instead of messing around?”</p>
<p>10 Worst and 10 Best Foods in America:</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/231439.php]Bon”>Bon Appétit! Here Are Your Top 10 Best And Worst Foods In America]Bon</a> App</p>
<p>It’s a huge mindshift to stop feeling that you are “treating yourself” by eating poorly, but it’s worth it. You can eat a little sugar, a little anything, and not eat poorly. But you can’t eat loads of the stuff without treating yourself badly.</p>
<p>I buy dessert and have a few spoons and then throw it away. Same when I buy the main dish, I throw away anything potato and overcooked vegetables. I have to buy an extra side salad for crunch. It end up costing me more to eat at my cafeteria now.</p>
<p>Alum, interesting that you just posted that. I have way too much emotion tied up in food. Today for lunch, I tried a new dressing and hated it. Ruined the whole salad, which was my entire lunch. Right then, I told myself that I had enough calories to treat myself to something from fast food. A couple of hours later, I went and got it and ate it. I didn’t enjoy nearly as much as I usually do. In fact, I only wanted half of it, but I ate it all anyway because I didn’t want to waste the food. I pondered what that all meant for a while. I think I’m finally recognizing that the emotional “fix” isn’t worth it like it used to be. Will keep pondering …</p>
<p>YDS- I think not enjoying the same quantity of food in the way you used to may be the start of a shift. I have now re-framed things so that being healthy and able to enjoy clothes shopping/wearing is the real treat. I have never savored food more, because now it comes without baggage, fear and games. Three years ago, I wouldn’t have pictured myself here, but now it has been quite awhile and my state of mind remains very clear in this area. Keep it up-it will work for you. I am an “old” dog, this is my “new” trick.</p>
<p>The last several posts are brilliant! They sum up exactly what i have been feeling lately. I am enjoying food so much more especially because I have dropped the game playing in my head.</p>
<p>I snuk onto the scale today even though it isn’t weigh in day for me and i am 1/2 way to my goal weight! :)</p>
<p>Very interesting lists, coureur! The comparisons are amazing - it’s unbelievable that a coffee drink can be worse than a quarter pounder. I’m glad that these restaurants are now being forced to provide the information. It has helped me make decisions about what is “worth” the calories and fat grams. </p>
<p>The good foods are interesting, too. I am surprised to see “crisp breads” on the top 10 list. Do they mean those fibery WASA things? I’m happy to see plain yogurt high on the list, it’s my new favorite food. Fage 0% is wonderful with fruit. I wonder why garbanzo beans, rather than other beans, are on the list? </p>
<p>Very insightful posts from Alumother on down. Eating differently does change the way foods taste. I enjoy vegetables much more now. I’d started to be repulsed by the more over-the-top restaurant offerings long before I started this new eating plan. In fact, it’s been years since I ordered an entree in a restaurant. I usually get a salad with some protein, or an appetizer. The desserts don’t even appeal to me. They are always compound - a brownie with ice cream on top and fudge sauce and whipped cream, never an unadorned piece of pie or a simple cake. </p>
<p>I’m learning a lot about what does and doesn’t work for me. For one thing, I have learned that relying too much on beans and lentils for protein lands me back in carb cravings.</p>
<p>Wow, EPTR, that’s great! I am nowhere near halfway to my goal (which I haven’t even set, but I know it’s a long way away), but I’ve adopted idad’s view - 5 lbs at a time. I’ve lost my first five and am 2/5 through my second five!</p>
<p>We went to a Mexican restaurant tonight and I ordered a skinny margarita and I am not sure it was totally skinny! I think it had some high-sugar mixer in it. Anyway, I have eaten minimal sugar for the last 6 months and am on a serious sugar-high right now and not enjoying it. I am shaky and my heart is racing. I don’t think I will be feeling well tomorrow and I won’t be blaming it on the tequila! I just hope I can go to sleep. It is amazing how your body adapts.</p>
<p>I was at a friend’s house the other night and we tried the Skinny Girl Margeritas. Yuck!</p>
<p>I’d rather have one good one made with real ingredients than two of those.</p>
<p>^I agree, just figure out how many real margaritas can be in your eating plan and drink them without feeling guilty.</p>
<p>One thing about preferring high end restaurants is servings tend to be smaller - though of course they are still using tons of butter. I’m probably the only American out there who hasn’t eaten in most of the popular chains. I’ve never been to Appleby’s, or Olive Garden, or TGIFs or Marie Callendars. I’ve been to Chipotle’s once - I made them leave the rice out of the burrito. Cheesecake Factory once - with a CC group!</p>
<p>Marie Callendars is a restaurant? Where I live Marie Callendar lives in the frozen section next to the Stouffer family!</p>
<p>^^^ Agreed! I never heard of MC as a restaurant!</p>
<p>Had an email from Panera which prompted me to do some searching on their website - saw a recipe section that had some good sounding recipes (some better than others in terms of nutrition). While some are more heavy on bread ingredients (duh! Panera!), others are not. Thought this Feta-Lentil Salad w/Almonds and Dried Cherries sounded different and refreshing! (everything is better with feta!)
[url=<a href=“http://mypanera.panerabread.com/recipes-view.php?id=35]MyPanera[/url”>http://mypanera.panerabread.com/recipes-view.php?id=35]MyPanera[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Zero margaritas with mixers made with tons of sugar or HCFS fit into my eating plan but a couple of margaritas made with fresh lime juice definitely fit in. I’ve had margaritas at this restaurant before which were perfect but somebody made a mistake on this one and I can’t believe how bad I felt after drinking it. I have apparently lost all my tolerance to sugar.</p>
<p>I agree that the bottled skinny margaritas taste terrible, like they were made in a chemistry lab. I’ve only ever heard of Marie Callender’s as frozen meals too.</p>
<p>What would they serve at a Marie Callender’s restaurant? Baked frozen pies? LOL. However, I fess up that i’ve been to the other places listed by mathmom.</p>
<p>I might have lost tolerance for sugar, too. Honey and fruit are OK, and so are high fat sweets, like the homemade Danish pastries sold at the bakery up the hill. But anything like the margarita you’ve described will send me into a pretty nasty tailspin! I did not have a sweet tooth to begin with, so dropping sweets from my diet was not a problem. When I was a kid, my little sister always got the lion’s share of my holiday candy because I simply did not want it.</p>
<p>The turkey pot pies at MC are very good. We’re guilty of eating too many times at MC and Olive’s Garden. We also used to buy the frozen MC turkey pies from Costco. But we no longer eat them anymore.
Lately we do not drink any alcohol/beer. It’ s really hard for my husband, but for health reason we have to eliminate them.</p>
<p>My mistake - just assuming from that article! Obviously I’ve never eaten her pot pies either! The only thing I buy frozen is lemonade, pizza (for the kids) and ice cream.</p>
<p>Well, talk about knocking me back to the real world …</p>
<p>When I weighed first thing this a.m., I was done another half-pound. Go see my rheumatologist, and his scale had me five pounds heavier! Of course, I’d eaten by then and was on my third bottled water and was fully clothed, but still. He did happily concede that I was still down from how his scale weighed me last year, so I guess it’s still a victory. Harumph.</p>
<p>any good healthy margarita recipes?</p>
<p>OK, I’ve been lurking & reading along, but I recognize a few familiar names :), so I’ll be brave & de-lurk.</p>
<p>I’ve been experimenting with homemade cocktails at home. Sooo much better than mixes! I’ve found a terrific recipe for a Whiskey Sour (3-4 ingredients + ice). The recipe also works pretty well as a margarita you substitute tequila for whiskey. FYI: the calories in a 1-oz shot of Jim Beam whiskey & tequila are close (tequila = 65 cal/1-oz. v. Jim Beam = 71 cal/1-oz).</p>
<p>Skinny margarita (makes ~8-oz. cocktail)
1 packet sugar substitute (Sweet-n-Low, etc).
1/2 lime, juiced
1-oz water (filtered water is best)
1-oz tequila</p>
<p>Shake together in a cocktail shaker. Serve over rocks.
(Good ice is critical. We buy ice at the grocery store rather than ice made from tap water. Call us ‘ice snobs.’)</p>
<p>In a side-by-side taste test, my [legal-aged] son the guinea pig actually preferred the sugar substitute over a margarita made with turbinado sugar. The sugar substitute was sweeter & lighter in color than a simple syrup made from turbinado sugar. (simple syrup = 1 part water: 1 part sugar; heat until sugar completely dissolves). But the turbinado sugar had a deeper, richer flavor & color because of its cane sugar content. It also had more calories :D.</p>
<p>Variation: the Skinny Mojito
1 packet sugar substitute (Sweet-n-Low, etc).
5-6 fresh mint leaves
1/2 lime, juiced
1-2 oz seltzer or mineral water
1-oz rum</p>
<p>Bruise mint leaves in sugar substitute before adding lime, water, rum. Then shake together in cocktail shaker.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the great weight loss stories & inspiration!</p>