What to eat???

After posting via Facebook that my family and I were having salmon, mocked mashed potatoes, and asparagus for dinner, a friend of mine commented that she wished she could buy meals from me to help her along in losing "it".  I thought this compliment was a great opportunity to share some tips/tricks/meal ideas with my friends.  Remember, I'm not a dietitian, weight loss expert, and don't have nearly the cooking skills of my mother. 

Changing an entire way of eating seems like an insurmountable task, but what I realized was that small substitutions and changes added together equals huge results.

So... here we go with a few of my tips/tricks/substitutes etc.

BREAKFAST:
ALWAYS EAT BREAKFAST....

I almost ALWAYS have an eggwhite omelet with veggies and some sort of complex carb each morning.  This may sound like a lot of work to do, but it's very quick, especially if you prepare a week's worth of veggies at a time.  On Monday morning, I usually saute onions, bell peppers, and mushrooms in REAL BUTTER.  Let's be clear... not a TON of real butter, but maybe 1/2 Tbsp or so.  When I was in college, I took an economics class.... for some reason the professor got on the topic of margarine, and informed us that margarine is actually gray in color.  When it was first "tested" people in test groups wouldn't eat it as a butter substitute because of it's bland color.... so they added yellow food coloring.  For some reason that just stuck with me. 
Here's a picture of the butter I use. 

For a while, I was using whole eggs for my omelets, but simply because of time, I started using eggwhites. 

Sometimes, I'll add a little bit of cheese in there as well, and lately I've been adding Chia seed.  LOOK UP ITS BENEFITS!!! It's the "new" flax.

For my morning carb (and sandwiches when I have them).  I started using the "Hungry Girl" Flat Out bread.  It's only 90 calories and high in fiber

Oh, and of course, I have iced coffee with a splash of unsweetened almond milk (less fat, carbs, more calcium than regular dairy milk) and sugar free vanilla syrup. (yes... it's splenda based, but I only have a little once a day....)

LUNCH:

Usually a wrap with again, lots of veggies, turkey or chicken, and maybe edamame.  The key is to find a wrap that's low in calories and high in fiber (some wraps have over 250 calories!!!!)  This one is my fav (thanks to my Mom who told me about them!)  They only have 100 calories and have 12 grams of fiber (6 net carbs).  I also use them for taco night.

TIP ALERT:  Substitute fresh spinach for lettuce!  We use it for everything.  Cut it up to use for tacos.  Way more nutrients than lettuce!

SNACKS:

I try to stick to cut up veggies/fruit.   Cheese sticks are always go (try the Weight Watchers smoked Gouda ones!) but I've been trying to stay away from dairy as much as possible lately.  Now I opt for Almond butter and celery or sometimes will have a protein drink.  I usually use the Jillian Michaels version. 

DINNER:

I've found that the key is to keep it simple.  A lean protein and 1-2 veggies.  Most of our meals seem pretty boring to most, but again, it's about making it work for your lifestyle.  Little substitutions help out a ton.  We have completely stopped cooking red meat.  I use ground turkey or ground chicken for everything.   Also, we've incorporated more fish into our diet, especially salmon. 

Try to make your favorite foods rather than ordering in.  Even if you make a pizza at home and use full fat cheese, etc. it'll still be healthier than anything you'd order.  When we make pizza, we use the already made thin pizza crust and turkey pepperoni.

TIP ALERT: Cauliflower is AMAZING.  I've used it for "potato" soup, "mashed potatoes" and even fried rice. 

Also, I try to modify things my family already loves (like Spaghetti).  I usually add veggies like shredded carrots and zucchini to my spaghetti sauce, and I have my serving over sauteed onions or spaghetti squash (the rest of the family eats it over whole wheat angel hair pasta).

OTHER TIPS: 

Stay away from boxed dinners and canned veggies.  They have a TON of sodium and will make you retain fluids.

Speaking of retaining water.  Other than my coffee in the morning, I stick to water or green tea for the rest of the day.  I also have 1 serving of Dandelion Root tea a day (I brew it with Mint Green

. tea because it's pretty bitter on its own).  I usually sweeten it a bit with honey.  Dandelion Root is supposed to be good for liver function and help with water retention.

 Stay away from Low or Reduced fat processed foods.  They usually add carbs to these foods to make them taste decent.

Try to reduce the amount of salt you use in what you're cooking.  Explore other spices instead.

I think that's all for now... I'm sure I'll think of more soon.

It may sound overwhelming, but even if you try one or two of these things, you'll see results in how you feel!