Things I have learned without sugar & less fat

Tomorrow I will start on my 5th week of my eating plan. Just one more to go after that! I've listed the basics below. If anyone is interested in more details, let me know and I can email it.

Week 1 & 2 (olive oil, chicken, fish, turkey, nuts & vegetables, except corn & white potatoes), Week 3 & 4 (add fruit & organic fruit juice, diluted - half juice half water), Week 5 & 6 (add beans, peas, legumes, soy, & peanuts). After week 6 you slowly start adding grains into your diet, one at a time.

Now on to the things I discovered! The foods that I have missed the most aren't the candy bars or the burgers and fries. I am looking forward to having a piece of whole wheat bread or a nice bowl of whole wheat pasta.

I don't miss sugar like I thought I would. It is amazing how sweet, refreshing, and satisfying fruit is. After eating a bowl of fruit salad, I am satisfied. I don't have that "I've got to keep eating" feeling that I get after eating candy. By the way, my favorite combo is blueberries, blackberries, oranges, kiwi, raspberries, & pineapple with a little pineapple juice for a sweetener. Dried fruit (the unsweetened kind - apples, cranberries, etc) is also very tasty.

I've learned that I can enjoy foods I thought I didn't like. I was never a fan of avocados and now I can't get enough of veggies dipped in my homemade avocado salsa (tomatillos are the secret ingredient). I didn't like spicy foods before and now I enjoy hot sauce on lots of foods. I always thought that I hated almonds. Nope! Turns out I was wrong about that too. I especially like smoked almonds. Last but not least, I discovered that I love fresh peanut and almond butter. I'm not talking about the stuff in the jar but the fresh kind made just from the roasted nuts. Dried apples or fresh apples dipped in peanut or almond butter is one of my new favorite treats.

I guess the bottom line is that I learned I can take control of how I eat and still be happy and satisfied. Food doesn't have to be an emotional crutch. I've also learned that I have more willpower than I thought I had. I haven't cheated at all. I even have leftover Easter candy in my room and I have no desire to gobble it down. Thanks for reading this long post. Stay tuned for next week when I'll tell you my plans once I finish out these 6 weeks.

Amanda is watching Ghost Whisperer.