Fine-tuning: Are These Condiments Okay?

[taymariekay]

After being super honest with myself, I have decided to cut out more things in order to truly follow MWL guidelines. I have completely cut out sugar and salt (bye condiments), and all sources of plant fats. I also have lowered my fruit consumption because I could easily eat fruit all day! Berries and cherries are less temping to snack on so I have lots of those handy to eat for desserts and only allow a mango with my breakfast oatmeal.

Instead of salt, sugar and condiments I am using vinegar, lemon/lime and Well Your World sauces. Occasional nutritional yeast. Those sauces average 30 calories per couple tablespoons, sweetness coming from dates. Does anyone find any issue with these?

I also am considering ordering from California Balsamic, especially for the savory ones, but I recall Jeff's article on balsamic vinegar being a little "too good", possibly ringing too many pleasure center bells. I certainly don't want that! But also wondering if the Well Your World sauces could be similar?

I don't want to justify keeping anything in my diet if it will hinder my progress. Appreciate your thoughts!

Taylor

[wildgoose]

When I was actively losing weight, I chose not to use any condiments other than Westbrae mustard (salt free) and homemade ketchup (salt and sugar free). I found that condiments just made things tastier, so I wanted to eat more. Not helpful in weight loss!

Jeff's guidelines on the reduced infused balsamic vinegars like California Balsamic is to treat them like added sugars.

...no more then 5% of calories from added sugars.

For someone consuming 1500 calories, it would allow up to 75 calories, which would be slightly more then 2 tbsp of these flavor infused vinegars.

For 2000 calories, it would allow up to 100 calories, which would be just under 3 tbsp of these vinegars per day.

So, if someone is using more than 2-3 tbsp of these a day, that alone is causing them to exceed my sugar guidelines.

And, if you struggle with the pleasure trap, any amount may be too much.

That last sentence was what caused me to choose to leave them out. I would classify the Well Your World sauces the same way. I also never use nutritional yeast.

Now that I am at my goal weight and in maintenance (though still eating MWL), I use a small amount of both the balsamics and the sauces. But no more than Jeff's recommended 2-3 tbsp per day. If I were to find myself eating more or wanting more, I’d take that as a clue that the Pleasure Trap was looming, and I’d cut them out again.

Only you can determine what works best for you. But if you’re trying to be as close to a total MWL plan as you can, why don’t you eliminate the condiments for a few weeks and see what happens, both In terms of weight loss and in the way you feel?

Goose

[taymariekay]

When I was actively losing weight, I chose not to use any condiments other than Westbrae mustard (salt free) and homemade ketchup (salt and sugar free). I found that condiments just made things tastier, so I wanted to eat more. Not helpful in weight loss!

Jeff's guidelines on the reduced infused balsamic vinegars like California Balsamic is to treat them like added sugars.

...no more then 5% of calories from added sugars.

For someone consuming 1500 calories, it would allow up to 75 calories, which would be slightly more then 2 tbsp of these flavor infused vinegars.

For 2000 calories, it would allow up to 100 calories, which would be just under 3 tbsp of these vinegars per day.

So, if someone is using more than 2-3 tbsp of these a day, that alone is causing them to exceed my sugar guidelines.

And, if you struggle with the pleasure trap, any amount may be too much.

That last sentence was what caused me to choose to leave them out. I would classify the Well Your World sauces the same way. I also never use nutritional yeast.

Now that I am at my goal weight and in maintenance (though still eating MWL), I use a small amount of both the balsamics and the sauces. But no more than Jeff's recommended 2-3 tbsp per day. If I were to find myself eating more or wanting more, I’d take that as a clue that the Pleasure Trap was looming, and I’d cut them out again.

Only you can determine what works best for you. But if you’re trying to be as close to a total MWL plan as you can, why don’t you eliminate the condiments for a few weeks and see what happens, both In terms of weight loss and in the way you feel?

Goose

Love this perspective! I am going to keep that in mind. I think I'm going to simplify my meals and not use too many condiments and flavors. Thank you!