re: Over 2 weeks now, no sodas, fast food, high sugars, and bad fats - Update 5/22

Yes...I agree..two guys the same height and weight can have vastly different body composition and fitness/health...

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just for pure weight loss, it doesn't but overall health, energy, etc, it absolutely does

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It also matters somewhat in what "weight" you are losing. I.e muscle and connective tissue, or fat

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As for counting calories, I am not doing this. I am taking it one step at a time and only changing my food habits first.

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Your change in food habits simply have caused you to eat less. Once your weight loss stalls for an extended period (you'll have fluctuations with water weight) you'll likely need to count calories in order to maintain the energy deficit.

update in OP

Here is what I posted in update:


I did lab work yesterday and got results today...

Weight down 14 pounds in 5 weeks

BP down from 137/85 to 110/80

Blood sugar down 15 points

Cholesterol down 75 pts

HDL's up 10 pts

LDL's down (forget #)

All this from simply eating smart. I have not started exercising yet. I am not on a diet, I simply changed my diet.

I am not sure if doctor was simply trying to encourage me or if he was serious, but he said he has never seen numbers change like this in one month without meds and/or exercise.

I'm hoping to have similar results with my next appointment. My HDL were too low, LDL, too high, blood pressure was borderline high. I've dropped about 15 lbs eating low carbs, more things like avocados, less cheese. Was 5'9"/208, down to 195 this morning.

I made chicken salad with a little mayo and hummus last week, and it was pretty good. Not quite the same, but a good substitute for cream cheese or all mayo. Also put 5 egg whites and 2 yolks in it just for proteins sakes.

I also switched from vodka/Mio to vodka/water with just a squeeze of lemon & lime. Still drink about 1 Diet Coke a day, but much more water

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As for the sour cream, it was the light variety. A dab of sour cream on a taco is not going to kill this diet. Like I said, the worst thing on that taco is the tortilla. There is cheese on it, but I view real cheese as a good food (which it is), it's not processed cheese.

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I eat tacos for lunch pretty much every day. I can brown seasoned meat with a little cooking spray in less than five minutes before work. I use full fat sour cream(it only 60 calories for two tablespoons which is plenty for 3 tacos) I use either 93% lean beef, chicken or turkey depending on what is on sale, one serving of shredded cheese(100 calories) and use Ole brand healthy wellness low carb tortillas which are only 50 calories and loaded with fiber and omega 3's.

I find Mexican-style foods to be the most flavorful/most 'fun" way to eat low-calorie. Salsa, peppers, seasoning, a little real cheese -- they're all low-calorie items. Even sour cream doesn't really hurt you. And you don't feel like you're dieting eating that type of food. My only problem is I buy fattier meats (skirt steak, chicken thighs, ground chuck, etc.).

Yeah, I sometimes buy taco seasoning, but really I have everything on hand that is in it anyway.

Chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, oregano, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper.

Another good option is these seasonings + chicken breasts + a jar of salsa in the crock pot. Makes awesome pulled chicken.

+1 on the lower sugar Kind bars. I usually have one in my bag at all times. When life gets busy & hunger strikes, you'll be equipped to avoid junk w/one of those. Sea salt/almond is my current fave.

Second fave on-the-go item is the peanut butter flavored Kashi TLC bar.

RE: greek yogurt, I eat the full fat, plain (unflavored) kind in place of sour cream. It is creamy like SC, but it is adding a significant amount of protein. So you can slather it on w/abandon, rather than use a miserly dribble of SC. Greek yogurt subs for mayo or SC in everything at my house: salad dressings, baked potatoes, chicken salad, pimento cheese, chip n dip, etc.

Not all greek yogurts are created equal. Cabot full fat and Fage Total are my favorite mass market brands...neither contains any stabilizers or gelatins or pectin, so they're smooth/creamy/not gritty. Look for an ingredients list w/nothing more than milk, cream, whey, and acidophilis. Forget the stuff w/added stabilizers.

ingredients, mou?

i searched but there were a few different ones