If you're off soda, and you're not missing it, by all means, stay away from it. I quit that stuff about 6 or 7 years ago, it's done me no end of good. If you're looking for a sweetener that won't leave you feeling like shit, definitely cutting out Splenda helps (that stuff is HORRIFICALLY bad for you), but lately, I would HIGHLY recommend stevia. It's got a lot of positive benefits, in that it helps control and regulate uric acid levels, and it's also been shown to help combat some forms of obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. It's one of the active sweetening ingredient in the protein shakes that I make (Hemp Force, which you can check out at onnit.com....it's TREMENDOUSLY awesome stuff, and don't worry, despite the active ingredient the protein is derived from, it's not psychoactive at all and it's one of the best forms of protein you can get, FAR better than soy or whey).
Butter, actually, is not one of the worst things you can put in your body. Margarine and other butter substitutes, on the other hand? Despite the lines fed to you, those are not good things. Generally very bad for you, and not just because of how it changes things like flavor profile. Used excessively, certainly, like anything else, butter can and does have adverse effects. If you're not interested in using butter, olive oil is certainly a great alternative, and I can't talk it up enough. Peanut and sesame oils are good too, especially if you're doing stir fry and other various types of oriental cooking (and occidental, as well....the best fries I've ever had? Fried in peanut oil).
Canola? Avoid at all costs.
I also can't stress enough the importance of cheat days, but they are VERY tricky things. I don't recommend having them until you're firmly cemented in your new eating habits, because it's very easy to fall back on them as a kind of crutch, but once the new data is established and you have a better idea of how to regulate and stick to those new eating habits....hey, nothing wrong with taking a day off. It is called "comfort food" for a reason, after all.
I got to where I couldn't STAND Splenda. Plus knowing how bad it is for you...yeah. Medifast that I was on last year was ALL about it (which is another reason I'm glad I didn't continue with THAT shitfest.) I'm going to use the honey I bought because I don't mind it so bad, and then I might look into Stevia. I've considered it, because I know it's more natural than most sweetners.
Yeah, re: butter substitutes. Real butter I know isn't the worst ever, it's all the fake ones. I used a butter spray for awhile, but really I don't even want/need that anymore. I had corn on the cob the other day with nothing on it, and I could really TASTE the corn. And broccoli (fresh) steamed with no cheese/etc, though next time I might do a little lemon juice just to mix things up.
Olive oil. LOVE IT. I CANNOT and WILL NOT cook in anything but it anymore. I'm using regular now, but I might try a virgin/extra virgin next time. I'm not really sure how to count it in my calories, since when I cook in it, the food doesn't retain all of it, but I can't even do canola/vegetable oil/etc. SO GROSS. My body does NOT like fried stuff, heavy, greasy stuff, and so forth. I will have to keep the peanut oil in mind. :D
It is really easy to slip, agreed. I had a piece of cake last night, but I talked about that in my newest entry, that I'm not going to beat myself up, I'm just going to start training myself to crave GOOD things. Like I bought fresh strawberries to have as a dessert snack. :D And yeah, I mean I may down the road do a splurge day every now and then - have a cheeseburger every once in awhile/etc. I'm not really ready to think about a whole splurge day yet, and there are some things I just don't WANT anymore, like soda, heavy, gross foods, et.
Butter, actually, is not one of the worst things you can put in your body. Margarine and other butter substitutes, on the other hand? Despite the lines fed to you, those are not good things. Generally very bad for you, and not just because of how it changes things like flavor profile. Used excessively, certainly, like anything else, butter can and does have adverse effects. If you're not interested in using butter, olive oil is certainly a great alternative, and I can't talk it up enough. Peanut and sesame oils are good too, especially if you're doing stir fry and other various types of oriental cooking (and occidental, as well....the best fries I've ever had? Fried in peanut oil).
Canola? Avoid at all costs.
I also can't stress enough the importance of cheat days, but they are VERY tricky things. I don't recommend having them until you're firmly cemented in your new eating habits, because it's very easy to fall back on them as a kind of crutch, but once the new data is established and you have a better idea of how to regulate and stick to those new eating habits....hey, nothing wrong with taking a day off. It is called "comfort food" for a reason, after all.
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Yeah, re: butter substitutes. Real butter I know isn't the worst ever, it's all the fake ones. I used a butter spray for awhile, but really I don't even want/need that anymore. I had corn on the cob the other day with nothing on it, and I could really TASTE the corn. And broccoli (fresh) steamed with no cheese/etc, though next time I might do a little lemon juice just to mix things up.
Olive oil. LOVE IT. I CANNOT and WILL NOT cook in anything but it anymore. I'm using regular now, but I might try a virgin/extra virgin next time. I'm not really sure how to count it in my calories, since when I cook in it, the food doesn't retain all of it, but I can't even do canola/vegetable oil/etc. SO GROSS. My body does NOT like fried stuff, heavy, greasy stuff, and so forth. I will have to keep the peanut oil in mind. :D
It is really easy to slip, agreed. I had a piece of cake last night, but I talked about that in my newest entry, that I'm not going to beat myself up, I'm just going to start training myself to crave GOOD things. Like I bought fresh strawberries to have as a dessert snack. :D And yeah, I mean I may down the road do a splurge day every now and then - have a cheeseburger every once in awhile/etc. I'm not really ready to think about a whole splurge day yet, and there are some things I just don't WANT anymore, like soda, heavy, gross foods, et.
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