Discussion Board

Good for you for going on this journey! You rock!

Good morning !!

It’s a rainy morning here on the West Coast. I bought a gym membership last night and boy am I glad I did. The winter time is the best time for an indoor membership. The rest of the time, I want to be outside. I’m also thinking it’s a good time for some soup, wouldn’t you say?

I’m on Day 2 of SOS free diet. I can’t say it has been easy. My brain is saying sugar sugar sugar but I’m staying strong. I don’t have any sugar in my house, so there are no excuses there. There is sugar at work but it’s easy enough to avoid. I’m drinking a hot glass of peppermint tea with a lemon for flavor. I’m sure my taste buds will adjust soon. It’s nice to know that this time will pass and it will be easier but it is a struggle right now. Struggling for my health, which isn’t a bad thing.

I’ve been eating a lot of steamed broccoli and potatoes. Last night I steamed sweet potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, with broccoli and I added it to 1 cup of black beans and I mashed it all together with some raw onions and chipotle powder. It was really good and hit the spot. I even finished being full, which I’m still working on portion control.

Not much else going on.

Breakfast: Oatmeal with lots of fruits
Lunch: I have steamed potatoes and broccoli packed
Dinner: TBD
Exercise: 10 minutes stair climber, 30 minutes elliptical, 10 minutes steam room

Have a good day !!

Sounds good Boots!

Keep up the good work Boots, you are an inspiration.

Hey ya'll

It's been 1 week since I've been SOS free (SALT OIL SUGAR)

I can't say its been easy but I can't say its been hard. I'm not really sure what to say except the days just keep passing and it does get easier as time passes.

The hardest thing is me wanting to put honey or sugar in my tea but I avoid it and I even have sugar in my house (my husband bought some)! My brain makes me think I need it but I know I will adjust soon enough. I'm using lots of herbs to help keep me distracted and so far it is working. I felt a little dizzy but I know thats from decreased salt in the body--it just takes a couple of days for the body to adjust.

I'm enjoying my food and it feels good to be in this space

Breakfast: Oatmeal with frozen cherries, banana, blackberries, blueberries all cooked together and then I added flaxseed and walnuts
Dinner: white beans, sweet potatoes, yukon gold potatoes, brown rice, lettuce, cabbage, tomatoes, onions all mixed together like a mash and then I added chipotle powder--sounds weird but oh my goodness it is soooo good!! I almost couldn't stop eating it.
Snack: may have pineapple if I'm hungry later on
Beverage: Herbal tea with lemon juice and water only
Exercise: Day off but I've been going to the gym 6 days a week. Feels good to be getting in hard workouts.

Hope you are all having a great night. I'm watching you!!

Hi sksamboots! Congratulations on a week SOS free. I'll be you're really noticing subtle flavors of food and new flavors of spices right now. For sugar free tea I like the minty ones best.

I'll have to try sugar-free mint tea for when it gets cold.

That menu sounds great Boots. Hey, when I eat Latin foods it all ends up in a big mash on my plate. If anything, your description of dinner made me hungry!

You are doing great Boots, keep up the good work!

Question- did you suffer any headaches after cutting out salt? If so, how long did they last?

Good morning !!

How are you all doing? Any one join me in on doing SOS free? The first week was tough. I did have headaches. I did not feel good on some days but I persevered and now I do feel good. It takes some time. It was 10 days for me before I felt good again. I look at it as if my body was detoxing and getting rid of everything that I had put harmful in my body. Now it only has whole unprocessed foods. My insides must be very happy.

I woke up at 4:45am for the gym. Who is this girl? It’s not easy to do but it gets easier with time and the rewards pay off in the end. My mood is better throughout the day and just the fact that exercise is out of the way—no excuses!!

I’ve been eating a pretty standard diet, and I love it but I love simple things and don’t get bored because they taste yummy.

Breakfast is oatmeal with frozen fruit with flaxseed and walnuts added. The secret to a great tasting sugar-free oatmeal is to either heat a banana up in the microwave for a couple of minutes and add it to your oatmeal or cook a banana in your oatmeal. It will sweeten that baby right up. So good—my mouth is watering as I speak!!
Snack: If I’m hungry I will have fruit
Lunch: This week I have been having leftover breakfast and fruit. It works for me this week
Dinner: It’s usually my casserole dish where I cook sweet potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, chickpeas, romaine lettuce, cabbage, red onion and I mash it all together with chipotle seasoning. It taste so good to me. I love this meal
Exercise: This morning I did 30 minutes stair master and 10 minutes treadmill. It’s a tough work out. I’m focusing on exercising 6 days a week
Weight: Down 8 pounds in 10 days. I’m very happy with this.

Have a great day!! Let me know if you have any questions. I’m lurking

That's just awesome Boots!

I have midterms now, so I can't really study when I have a gigantic headache, but I admire you 100% for doing that! However, the best thing for me is to phase it out, and I am. So, I am 95% joining you?

That dinner makes my mouth water. What a cool way to eat your salad greens, add it with hot food. I did that with tostadas so why not now?

You are doing great Boots!

Edit: I couldn't wait to have dinner served over salad greens. Turns out it's fantastic!

Hey Boots what is SOS? Sugar/salt free? I am doing that.Not easy but it is getting better.I use to use a ton of artificial sweetner,have had 0 since 10/1.Food is actually starting to taste good and no cravings. No matter how I use or what kind I use,just can't get use to cooked oatmeal with no salt. So I've been eating them with a little water sprinkled and an apple.Pretty good.! Keep up the good work..Think weight loss as a giant bowl of popcorn.One piece at a time and befor you know it...its gone!! RAS

It's salt, oil, and sugar free.

Hi Boots... sounds like you are doing great.

I am like LK about 95% there.I no longer add salt to my food while I cook it but on some things I do add it after I cook it. But not on much

RAS try adding 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon to your oatmeal.. that is what I do and I don't miss teh salt at all. OR sugar. I have it like that .. When I first started making it wothout salt I also used to add raisins.

NOw I have it plain with the cinnamon and some fruit on the side or added to the oatmeal all mashed together.

Thanks Kale. RAS

Good morning !!

I’m still adjusting to waking up early and that has taken a toll on my body. It takes an adjustment. It’s been 3 weeks now and I’m hoping with a couple of more weeks, I will be good to go. I’m waking up before 5am and asleep before 9pm at night. I work out around 45 minutes to 1 hour a day. I switched my menu up a little bit this week.

As far as SOS free (SALT OIL AND SUGAR FREE) I’m doing good. I have no cravings except for yummy Mcdougall food. After doing some personal research, I decided to add 500 mg (1/2 tsp) of salt back in my diet. I don’t find that it triggers me to eat more. I believe it is important to have iodine in one’s diet and so do several of the plant based doctors.

Breakfast: fruit
Lunch: sweet potatoes and lettuces
Snack: fruit
Dinner: casserole dish with beans and potatoes and vegetables
Exercise: 1 hour 6 days a week
Weight Loss: 1 pound up on the scale. I weigh one time a week via Jeff N.’s recommendations. I’m not sweating the 1 pound. I’ve been doing very good with my exercise and eating right. This is why it’s not good to focus on the scale because it may discourage some and make them fall off the wagon or discontinue their journey to health. If you make it a lifestyle change instead of a diet then it is what it is. I'm going to eat this way the rest of my life no matter what the scale says. I don’t sweat the small stuff and realize there will be a drop soon enough. I also realize I lost 8 pounds last week, so maybe my body needs a break or maybe I’ll have a big release in a couple of days. We will see.

Alright, not much else to report. I’m lurking .

Hi Boots,

Yoga and meditation are both really fun. There is a magazine, yoga journal, that is really sinpiring and has good information. It is almost as good as a book. I keep my old ones and refer to them frequently. Lots of good practice sequences...and they can be done at home.

Good for you on being wise enough on the salt. I was wondering about thyroid health and salt intake myself. I agree that adding just a little doesn't cause you to eat more. Besides, if it's 100% McD food, why worry if you eat a little more?

I've been thinking about yoga too, want to get more flexible. Good job on your progress