My "Top Ten" Binge Stopper foods!

I've been doing this program for awhile now....and after awhile, you sort of get into a routine, you know what works and what doesn't.

For me, there are certain foods and drinks that I rely upon, again and again, to get me through a day OP, and I thought I'd share them. Especially if you're a Newbie, you might want to check some of these out!

MY TOP TEN LIST OF THINGS THAT HELP ME STAY OP

1). Sparkling Water - I buy just a generic store brand, it's inexpensive - like 89 cents for a large bottle. Strawberry Kiwi is my latest favorite, but I like certain brand's Peach flavored one, too. When I've had enough plain water for the day, I'll get into this...and it really satisfies. NO Caffeine, NO sugar, just water with a few flavorings and it's carbonated (I gave UP diet soda....it made me HUNGRY. Really!)

2). MF Soy Cheddar Chips - These currently straddle the gap between 'binge prevention' and 'trigger food' so I have to watch it, I have to LIMIT myself; but, they really are something I enjoy and look forward to. Only 70 calories per bag and a satisfying CRUNCH! These count as your one snack per day.

3). Herb Tea -- Ahh, where would I BE without Celestial Seasonings? There are so many flavors that you're sure to find one that you like. "Tension Tamer" is my current favorite, but it's something that you have to get used to...it grows on you. But I also love Sleepytime and Sleepytime Vanilla and Gingerbread (yep! Available around the holidays) and Sugar Cookie Sleighride (REALLY! Again, available seasonally) and blueberry and peach and .... I could go on LOL. Trust me, these HELP, bigtime, for stress relief and just to give yourself a little 'time out' to relax for a few minutes. And sometimes that's all we need, right? We just want to take some time for US. We 'used' to eat junk or sludge....now just sip one of these teas with a little Splenda and SIT DOWN and enjoy it. Take deep breaths. You'll feel better ... and a little stronger....just enough to get through your day!



4). MF Brownies and Gingerbread -- I love both of these, so I alternate these for my final MF meal (evening snack) of the day. I look forward to it! I even tell myself I "can't" have it unless I've been 100% OP the rest of the day. Sounds silly but it WORKS! I pre-bake these at lunchtime then save and eat right before going to bed. That way, I have food in my stomach and am not lying there listening to my stomach growl. (oh - and a simple tip? GO TO BED EARLIER. Seriously. We all need more sleep anyway. Prevent those late-night munchies by going to BED. You can always record your favorite TV shows to watch earlier if you're worried about that).

5). WATER WATER WATER WATER -- can't NOT mention this because it ALWAYS helps. It helps with digestion, it helps with ENERGY levels (yep!), it helps you feel fuller, it helps the scale move faster (true!), it helps your SKIN to be clearer....there are so many benefits it's worth it to cultivate the water 'habit', every single day. YES you'll be in the bathroom a lot. But which would you rather be, FAT....or having to go to the bathroom a lot? I'll take the bathroom every time! LOL. YES I get up in the middle of the night to pee...multiple times a night. It doesn't bother me, I'm used to it. If it bothers YOU, stop drinking at 7 pm -- just make sure you get all 64 ozs. in BEFORE that time.

6). Splenda and Cinnamon -- I put these together because I frequently use them together. No sugar, always Splenda! I mix them into my part-skim ricotta I eat at lunchtime (I split my lean between lunch and dinner). I add them to my gingerbread sometimes. Cinnamon is a GOOD for you spice.....and as for the Splenda, YES it's an artificial sweetener. But NO, I can't live without SOME sweetness in my diet. I can't quite go 'NO sugar' totally. Call me weak. I don't care. I'm not using sugar, and I made it to goal....so....'whatever works', right?

7). PAM -- This nonstick cooking spray is invaluable. I 'save' my healthy fats for salad dressings and the like, so I never want to spend it on olive oil to brown or saute anything. PAM works WITHOUT oil. Yes it DOES have a few calories (contrary to what the label says) but listen, let's not get TOO anal, OK? Just do the program. DON'T STRESS YOURSELF OUT over the little stuff, because I guarantee you, if you go down that road, sooner or later you're going to go NUTS and BINGE.

8). Part-skim Ricotta Cheese -- Hands down my favorite lean. Love it love it love it. With my usual Splenda and cinnamon LOL. 8 ounces (1 cup, levelled off) = 1 lean, so I split my lean between lunch and dinner and have 4 ounces at lunchtime -- 6 if I worked out hard that day (that extra 2 ounces of lean helps sometimes!, and YES I've lost weight doing this) -- and then I have 1/2 lean for dinner -- say 3 ounces cooked chicken, or 3.5 ounces fish, whatever. I prefer Sargento PS ricotta (call me picky! LOL) because it's denser, less watery than some of the other brands. But it's got plenty of protein and it FILLS ME UP. That's KEY. Especially after a morning at the gym!

9). Perdue 'done it' Short Cuts Chicken or Turkey breast strips -- Get the PLAIN ones, not the Italian flavored or whatever, because the flavorings are just added SUGAR. These are already COOKED, couldn't be easier to get your 3 ounces of chicken in. I mix with cooked Spaghetti Squash (easy! Poke holes all over the squash, place in the microwave for 10 minutes, allow to cool and then cut in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and use a fork to make 'spaghetti' strands) and 1 TBL Newmann's Own Lighten up Italian Dressing (see the condiments list for list of MF approved dressings, we get TWO TBL of these versus just 1 TBL for most approved salad dressings) and then I have an extra TBL for my side salad. And I'm in heaven. Tastes great. I also do the turkey strips with asparagus and minced garlic with a little white pepper. It's wonderful!
Don't ever say you don't have time to cook....these are READY for you. Throw on top of some lettuce, add your dressing, and you've got a grilled chicken salad. Voila, lean & green DONE!

10). ALL "Green" Veggies -- Trust me, I was one of those who swore lettuce was 'rabbit food' LOL and the only time I ate veggies was when I had corn, dripping with butter, or baked beans or something like that. But over time, on this program, I learned to LOVE vegetables, and you know what? You can't go wrong with them. They are low in calories and SUPER high in nutrition. Lettuce, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, cauliflower, spaghetti squash, zucchini, cucumbers, celery, you name it! Check out the list....there's LOTS of veggies we can have. And at 3 per day you can mix it up and have fun with them. Don't skip these....they are VITAL to the program and contain lots of fiber and vitamins that you NEED!

HONORABLE MENTION:
Walden Farms chocolate syrup (I use on my MF choc mint soft serve in the afternoons, YES even during the Winter, 'who says?' you can't have 'ice cream' in the Winter months?), also WF caramel syrup, MF brown sugar cinnamon cereal (my fav), and again that MF chocolate mint soft serve.

What are YOUR favorite 'binge stoppers'?
What gets YOU through each day?

CHERISH these foods....they are invaluable and will help you get to goal!

Keep on keepin' on!

Linda
Certified TSFL Health Coach