Red, White and Green. Vegetables

BF and I just went to the 7-11 across the street to get some munchies (don't ask) and I got ID'd buying one of those scratch off Bingo tickets. The cashier eyed me suspiciously and when I noticed the look, I gave him my best 100 mega-watt smile in an effort to highlight my crows feet under the unforgiving florescent lights yet he still asked to see proof of my age. That's the second time I got carded in 2 weeks - the first time for taste-testing chocolate at a grocery store? Yes, weird but true. On the 30 second walk back from the store tonight, BF and I started discussing people who look their age and why and the difference between our cultures (I'm Canadian, he's Mexican) aging process and how people care, or don't care for themselves.

*Disclaimer - I do not believe I represent a typical 31 year old female, so I do not wish to make any comparisions to anyone my age. Or any age really. We're all on our own journey. I think I have pretty decent genes - my 71 year old father has a full head of black hair and is walking around quite agilely a mere 8 months after being involved in an accident which could have killed him, had he not been the bionic man. Despite 2 broken legs (one a compound fracture), fractured ribs, a crushed, fractured hand, broken nose and a very serious, shocking and hard-hitting flight 27 feet in the air which knocked him literally out of his boots and left him bleeding out in Super Sub-Zero temperatures of northern Labrador for I don't know how long, he is currently recovering and spends a few hours in the basement gym of his house every night working out. He's a pretty damn tough guy, but then again so are most of the Bobelly's. It's the Irish blood. All that potato eating, scrappin, cursin and of course beer drinking. Something like that. Lifestyle-wise, I'm not the norm for a woman my age either. I am not married, I rent out my place, I have no children and I work part-time. I spend about an hour in the gym 5-6 days a week, sometimes more, sometimes less. And my boyfriend is 7 years younger than me. So yeah. I guess I'm not your standard 31 year old. With all the time I have on my hands as a result of a lack of dependents ( I don't even have a pet) there's no doubt I have the time and energy to focus on exercising and staying fit. But will I always? I optimistically say yes.

BF asked me why did I think that women "let themselves go", and this seems slightly more common in his culture than mine, and I think that's a hard question to answer. A lot of women around my age have one or two kids, maybe more, are married, work outside of the home, and just plain don't have that much time in their lives to indulge in anything really. I think it's sad that most women think it's an "indulgence" to take time for herself; to cater to her own needs and desires as a human being, and maintain her identity as an individual. Too many moms lose themselves in their quest to be the perfect care-giver. A few of my female friends still think having a gym pass is an extravagance. Yes, it costs money, but are you not a solid investment? Personally, if I have $100 to blow and I have a choice of buying a new outfit or some high-quality, organic, fresh food, rich dark chocolate and a bottle of red wine, I know what I'm going to do with the money. Clothing styles change. A fit, happy body looks good in anything.

In Mexico, a lot of married women do not work outside the home (although in recent years this is starting to change); instead they stay at home, doing the work of many people, especially if they have children, and they usually do (although a lot less then 10-15 years ago. Today families are slightly smaller, averaging 2-3 kids as opposed to 6-7, although it varies depending on what area you live in). The average Mexican woman cooks and cleans for 7-10 people per day! Many have jobs on the side that they do from home also, like seamstress work or selling handmade goods. The Mexican mom is so used to putting everyone else before her, she wouldn't dare think about joining a gym, or taking a personal development class for fun. She eats after everyone else is fed, maybe snacking throughout the day when she is starving and gets the chance, or late at night while running around finishing up whatever she needs to get done. She's actually getting quite a bit of physical activity, which is great but is only one component of being fit. Most men work hard labour all day, which is great exercise, for those who do but some make up for it by having a few drinks at night. And kids aren't playing outside like they used to. Not all that different from many Canadian families, really. Except the diet. Mexicans consume WAY too much fast food - sugar, soda and deep-fried cheesy foods are a staple in their diet.

Mexico is a country that has struggled with economic development and corruption throughout all levels of the government. With the close proximity and influence of the United States, many Mexicans have adopted the eating habits of their northern amigos, which is having a very unfortunate affect on the country's population. And sadly because it is a poorer country, education on the harmfulness of overeating unhealthy food has not caught up with the rest of North America, nor does there seem to be much emphasis on introducing a major physical education program in order to counteract some of the effects. The young population seem to be as taken with video games and technology as American teens, and are now similarly choosing burgers and fries as inexpensive (and addictive) snacks. These are a few of the reasons why Mexico is the second fattest country in the world, only beaten by the US. I believe Canada ranks somewhere around 35th. Here are the top 5 : http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1766192/top_5_fattest_countries_in_the_world.html?cat=51

This was certaintly not the case 20-25 years ago, when Mexican people were living the natural way of life, before the crappy American diet had such an influence on them. People lived off the land they farmed and the livestock they raised. Not out of choice, but of necessity. It was inexpensive and high quality food, not pumped full of fillers; a lifestyle we could all benefit from -less processed food, more fruits and vegetables; less chemicals, additives and preservatives, more fresh, naturally prepared foods. Fruits and Vegetables = Nature's Pharmacy. You better believe it. I can't remember the last time I took drugs for anything, but I do make sure I get my 7-10 servings a day. It doesn't matter if you're fat, skinny, fit or ripped, you NEED your veggies.

Let me tell you right now folks, we have an aging population and childhood obesity is getting way out of hand. People are running around screaming about Swine Flu, yet 4 out of 5 leading causes of death in Canada are preventable and managable through diet and exercise. I have a few friends who are Emergency room nurses at various hospitals throughout Canada, and they will confirm that about 3 out of 5 patients they see every night are for any of these reasons - diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer etc. I know not all cancers are preventable, but I bet a huge percentage of them are! And I'm not a doctor. But I feel it coming. It may be 10 years or even 20, but we are going to have a MASSIVE crisis strewn from the impact of global obesity, irreparable cracks in society and there will be no amount of healthcare that will be able to make a difference. It's just a matter of time. As long as the world doesn't end in 2012 ;) An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Knowing all the preaching I do though, I'll likely die of at least 3 of these diseases simultaneously, while eating MacDonalds (super genes be damned) and come back in my next life as a priest. So remember: everything in moderation babies!! Just get those butts moving and shaking to unblock an artery or two, and your miles above the rest. Today's the day. Go get 'em!

Cause I'm Canadian. Eh.

Food is Your Frenemy

For the first time ever, I managed to make it through Halloween without eating any candy. For me that is a HUGE accomplishment. I guess it helps that I live in a security building with virtually no children so I didn't actually have to buy any. I imagine it would be 6 billion times more difficult otherwise. As a matter of fact I've been *clean* for 5 weeks and 2.5 days, and I've never felt better. Unfortunately unlike most addicts who struggle with alcohol, drugs or gambling, my addiction is one that is constantly in my face. It is readily available on every street corner, jumps out at me from the pages of magazines and inevitably flashes repeatedly during television programs and even worse, when I'm doing cardio at the gym, stuck on a machine sans remote control and no option but to look at my feet or close my eyes . There are few things more frustrating that trying to finish up those last 20 minutes on the elliptical and being forced to endure constant Dairy Queen commericals showcasing their latest sinful indulgence. Food is obviously something we have to consume and manage on a daily basis, and making the right choices calls for careful calculation, balance and extreme planning. But how do we deal with, or manage to avoid junk food?

Yessir I am a reformed junkie. On Tuesday, September 29th 2009, I made a conscious decision to change my unhealthy eating once and for all, and I gave my life a real overhaul. It had been a looooooong time a comin'. Since that day, I've consumed more vegetables than probably in my entire life combined (sadly I am not joking), cut out virtually all processed foods with artificial or chemical additives, dropkicked sugar and knocked out refined flour. Has it been easy? Hell-to-the-NO. Am I determined? I'd have to say yes, finally. I'm proud to say yes.

I don't want to give the impression that I've been perfect - I have allowed myself a small, weekly treat, which was rather terrifying at first and it took a LOT of coaching and internal dialogue to limit my treat to JUST ONE, not 3 or 6 or the whole large bag of Salt n Vinegar chips. (Damn you Lays. You are so right) Ohhh no. Those days are over. I'm in charge now. I've worked tirelessly through my self-sabotage, dug deep to understand my food attachments, analyzed and over-analyzed my tendancy to gorge and learned to exhibit extreme self-control simply by revelling in and valuing each indulgence and not letting it turn into a gong show. So before y'all just roll your eyes at this skinny be@tch, let me make it clear - it's not a cake walk, it sure as hell ain't because I don't *like* the taste of cupcakes and yes, genetics may have played a small part in the past, but since I've turned 30, it's a different ball game. Off topic but did anyone else notice I mentioned cake twice in that sentence? Mmmm caaake.

OK so, how do I do it? That's what you want to know right? That's what I always wanted to know, before I actually started to do it, and it's probably my most commonly asked question by acquaintances - how do you say no? You bring your own chopped up veggies to a party so you don't have to eat the chips and salsa? What are you some kind of fruitcake? (had to fit cake in again somehow). Yes. I do that. I also make my own healthy pizzas while all my friends go to Romanos for the meaty-cheese-cream-carb-loaded bonanza. I snack on fruit while my boyfriend eats Fudgesicles. DAILY. And I'm actually starting to get excited about my favorite health foods. Food tastes better to me, real food! I'm delighting in the flavors and savoring smaller portions, not feeling as if I need to cram them in lest someone come along and steal them from me. I can't wait to buy hummus, or to eat juicy canned salmon on a pita with red onion. These foods make me happy, and therefore enable me to eat healthy without feeling like I am deprived. Until you find your foods, you may not be able to do it. Maybe you'll just ride the ol' diet rollercoaster for a while, drifting from deprivation to devouring, until finally, you've just plain had enough.

Low-fat, low calorie food DOES NOT always equal healthy, especially if it's crammed with artificial sweetners, preservatives and chemical additives. What you want to stock up on are CLEAN foods - foods in their natural state, grown from the earth, unaltered by man. Try to choose these type of foods when grocery shopping. The following are a few ways I pay tribute to one of my favorite mantras - SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS.

1. After you buy your groceries, spend the time to wash, chop and prepare fruits, veggies and other go-to snacks (like boiled eggs or cooked shrimp) and store them in tupperware containers in your fridge. Having bite-sized bell peppers, cukes, carrots and broccoli will give you something to munch on while your cooking dinner or if you're feeling restless or bored and prone to snacking in the evening. I also keep fruit such as watermelon, strawberries and grapes in containers for a quick sweet tooth satisfier, as I ALWAYS need something sweet after dinner, always have. I think it's from when I quit smoking many years ago and replaced it with chocolate bars. Being prepared allows you to be ahead of the game. This is the MOST important thing you can do. The number one reason people go off track from eating a healthy diet is because they don't do this. You come home from school or work, tired as hell and you just want something that is fast and easy. Having those snacks on-hand will keep you from making bad choices when you are most vulnerable and want instant gratification. You will CONSTANTLY have something to eat, so you won't need to order chinese or eat a box of Oreos.

2. Cook in advance when possible. Crock pots are great - throw all your ingredients in and let it cook all day and you come home to a ready-to-eat dinner. Sometimes I prepare meals the night before, after I've eaten dinner and reheat them the next day, or just do the preparation the night before and cook it when I'm ready to eat. I hate cooking when I'm hungry. After I've eaten or on a lazy day, I like to make 4-5 Pita Pizzas and keep them in the fridge. I LOVE snacking on cold pizza, it's my favorite food. With ingredients like tomato paste, pesto, tons of chopped garlic and red onion, sliced turkey, tomatoes, a very, very small amount of cheese, hot sauce and pineapple, they're super healthy and easy to make, and I always have something ready when I'm fridge-surfing.

3. Do NOT buy junk food. Ok lots of people say this, but it's not so easy when you have a partner or maybe kids, who want it and demand it. I say I will not be buying it for my children if and when I ever have them, but I guess we'll see about that. BF has certain snacks that he likes, and I basically go into denial about it. I don't want to see it (so he hides it or keeps it high up in a cupboard I can't reach or don't use), I don't want to know about it and I flat out refuse to acknowledge it exists. It works for me. Gotta admit it is a bit of a challenge when he sits next to me on the couch mowing down brownies and ice cream, but I'm tough. I can take it. Or I just leave the room and go put on a sexy outfit that I couldn't fit into before and admire my progress. Some days I'll go to the 7-11 and buy an Aero 70% dark chocolate bar which satisfies my craving and is actually good for you - full of antioxidants such as flavenoids and can actually lower your blood pressure. I'm sure that's because I might blow my top if I don't have it, so it must relieve something.

4. When you do cook healthy, make large portions so you will have lots of leftovers to make other meals from. I am a big fan of doing this. Cooking a whole chicken, making chicken casserole, home-made chicken soup, sandwiches, whatever.Prepare your own food and you control the ingredients. If you make a large meal, again, divide it in half and eat it later. Be careful to hide it if you have a BF who loves to finish your food. Hands off buddy! I split a lot of my meals into 2 separate ones and eat them 2-2.5 hours apart. I feel a lot better being constantly at a comfortably full level as opposed to that "'sick, bloated and disgusting" state of overeating. We've all been there, and it sucks. Yet we seem to do it over and over. Defintion of insanity?

5. Drink water dammit - keep a Brita jug full, at least 2 bottles in your fridge and always have a glass by your side. I don't care if you "don't like the taste''. LOL whut? Water doesn't have a taste! It's not supposed to. Add some lemon/lime/oranges if you must, but it's your life's blood!Such wonders as Stronger Teeth and Bones, Clear and Vibrant Complexion, Regular Bowel and Urinary Functions and even, wow, Weight Loss can result from getting your 8-10 glasses a day. You know when your mom tells you to do something just cause? Well, that's what I'm doing.

6. Lead Us Not Into Temptation - it's all around us, really. Sometimes I feel like a social leper - I'm reluctant to go to certain places or parties if I know there will be a lot of junk food. I carry healthy snacks like nuts or an apple in my purse. I eat before I go out to dinner with friends. Going to the movies was a real struggle; trying to pass up the popcorn and chocolate covered raisins seemed futile, so I gave it up for a while. And drinking is the worst! After 2 Bud Light Limes I could easily eat my body weight in chicken wings and blue cheese dip. Alcohol not only lowers your inhibitions, it also annihilates your willpower. So drink with caution kids. And not until you're sure you can handle it. Handcuffs might work.

7. A final thing that was huge for me - work through your food issues. I find it fascinating the issues different people have and where they stem from; just trying to figure out what they are is an ordeal in itself, let alone understanding and altering them. When I was a kid, the atmosphere around my place was Eat it All and Eat it Now, because you won't get a second chance. Food was hoarded and not shared. I never had an eating disorder, per say, although this might sound like I did, but I would not eat for many hours, then I would gorge on whatever I could get my hands on. Most of my meals were at 3am, when no one was around and I could access the kitchen. I remember half-pound bacon sandwiches on white bread with a ton of Miracle Whip and going to bed with chest pains. I'd wake up the next day, eat nothing for 2-3 hours, maybe have a few pepsi and powdered jelly doughnuts, go out for a poutine or some fried chicken and taters, then spend the whole night eating potato chips, chocolate bars and candy, until I came home in the early am to eat ''dinner" which consisted of whatever was around, before crashing. I never had a weight problem, but I'm sure my body composition was 80% marshmallow. Anyhow, changing the way you look at food is crucial in understanding how we are susceptible to emotional eating and how we use it as a crutch. Letting it get out of hand can destroy you. The good news is you don't have to let it. Knowledge is power baby.

Eat Your Wheaties

"Eat Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Prince and Dinner like a Pauper."

I'm blown away by how many people don't eat any breakfast in the morning! Some people grab a double double and a muffin (low-fat kind *sigh*) on the run and eat it enroute to work, or pass through a McDonald's drive-thru for an Egg Mcsuckin with cheese and sausage or ham or whatever miscellaneous body parts they're utilizing these days and a deep fried tater. Sorry to pick on you McD's, the truth is I can't remember ever really eating fast food for breakfast in my life. Even in my darkest hour, despite massive amounts of junk throughout the day, I was always good about eating a decent breakfast. I just liked the way it made me feel. When I did eat breakfast, that is, which was about 50% of the time. I never liked sugary cereals that pretend to be breakfast but I also never really felt hungry when I woke up - usually from eating very late the night before.

I'm not sure what's more shocking for your system first thing in the am - eating high-sugar, fat-loaded, insulin spiking foods or eating nothing at all until your stomach starts howling. All I know is that these days I am so hungry in the morning when I wake up that I would eat the arse out of a dead skunk. I have mini dreams about my bowl of Bran Flakes and 1% milk starting around the time I hit snooze for Round One, and by Round Four I'm crawling out from under the sheets and making a bee line for the fridge. It wasn't always this way - in school I remember being hungry most mornings and famished by lunchtime, not to mention exhausted and grumpy.

Let's pretend your body was a car. Imagine how it would function if you avoided checking the oil and wiper fluid, ignored gauging the tire pressure (even when the tire looked low on air), disregarded the check engine light and never bothered to take it in for a tune-up. Now let's imagine your car was a Mercedes Benz SLR Mclaren, aka the Gael Garcia Bernal of cars (FYI he's my Brad Pitt). What a sweet car! A performance machine, made for speed and power; an extravagant luxury item worthy of only the best in TLC. Without a doubt, you've spent a ton of money on it and you're probably only going to ever own ONE, so why not treat it well? Maybe you're a bit tight on cash after such an expenditure. Premium gasoline is recommended but hey, regular's cheaper and it won't make much of a difference. You can also buy whatever tires are on sale at the time. And it doesn't *have* to go to a particular service shop when your buddy has an Uncle Moe who will take it in his garage for a quick tune-up. Sound ridiculous?

When it comes to catering to the basic maintenance needs of this beautiful chariot - your own body, you're skimping in places you should be SPLURGING. Screw the spa session, the weekly mani-pedis, the brand name make-up, the Ed Hardy tshirts - spend your money on REAL food - healthy, fresh, organic (when you can afford it), nutritious and full of life! What good is hitting up a car wash n wax or a getting a brand new paint job if your engine is busted? That shiny set of wheels is gonna look real nice sitting in your driveway all summer. Maybe you could push it around the block.

What you put in your body after you wake up from a night of hibernation really sets the tone for the day. If you eat a well-balanced, healthy breakfast you can even get away with eating more than you should for dinner, as you will have the whole day to burn a lot of it off. Or you could have a large, greasy-spoon brekky, the kind that leaves you full way past lunch and then starving at 2pm, by which time you are also experiencing that mid-afternoon slump so you are craving sweet or salty snacks, so perhaps a chocolate bar to tide you over til dinner and then you get home, too tired to make anything so you pop in a microwave dinner of pasta and make some cheesy garlic bread, wash it down with tall glass of juice, cause it's much healthier than pop (true, but *sighing again*) followed by leftover cheesecake for dessert and you end up going to bed feeling like you ate a small child and he's trying to escape.

If you want to have great car mileage, what do you do? Bare with me on the car analogies here ok, I was told my blog may be a little too "female focused" so it's my feeble attempt to balance that. So what do you do? You look at all the little things that might help - keeping your windows rolled up, checking your tire pressure regularly, empty your trunk of unnecessary junk and don't drive too fast. Before you know it, you'll have 30% better mileage on a tank of gas. Not hungry in the morning? Don't eat late at night. Stop at least 3 hours before your bedtime and avoid eating heavy meals for dinner. I eat very little carbs at this time, but quite a bit throughout the day - I NEED to, for energy. And so do you. I eat my cereal with eyes barely open, go to the gym, come back and eat a large breakfast of fruit, eggs, sprouted grain toast with peanut butter and tea. I feel so good afterwards, it makes me want to continue eating healthy all day. Because I like feeling good. Seems obvious doesn't it?

It's all about choices. I'm a big fan of this motto, and it's one of my many : SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS. If you find yourself making bad choices, your vessel is not going to function very optimally. It will voice it's displeasure. Again, first in whispers.

Next blog I will discuss the many ways you can set yourself up for success and avoid the sabotage pitfalls that we've all been through and the best way to avoid relapsing.

Remember, I'm here if you need me...

My Fave Health Foods - How I Kicked Junk Food to the Curb

I honestly believed that I would never, ever reach my fitness goals. Okay, so I'm 5'4" and 115 lbs and most of you would rather beat me with a brick than listen to me complain about my figure. But really, it's all relative, right? Even supermodels and actresses whom we regard as perfect have their own struggles, be it with weight, breast size, cellulite or whatever. No matter how others see us, reality is we are our own harshest critic.

I've been addicted to sugar all my life. My 71 year old diabetic father eats a MINIMUM of 3 chocolate bars a day and trust me, you don't even want to know what the rest of his diet consists of. I swear all the preservatives he consumes will keep him alive until he's 104. Oh, if only it worked that way. Sigh. An-y-way, I always had a dream of looking like a fitness model - a toned, taut physique carefully sculpted, with nice lines and striations and long lean muscles that were not overly developed, but perfectly round and full. I wanted to achieve that body, not for competitions or anything really, but rather just to see if I could. My intention and my motivation was always to test my body's limits; to push and to improve; to be faster, stronger and to function optimally for a longer life - a better quality of life, without ever taking any steps to abuse or hurt my body I.e: using fat burners or getting to extreme low levels of body fat that could compromise my health and my immune system. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. I'm in it for the long haul.

However much I trained, in my mind I knew I would never get it together enough to get where I wanted. I dawdled and lollygagged. I trained hardcore with weights, but didn't do any cardio and I ate cheesy noodles every day. Or I did an hour cardio per day, no weights and ate cheesy noodles everyday. Or, I didn't eat cheesy noodles for a whole week, did tons of cardio and weights and then went insane from a "diet"of deprivation - strict, bodybuilder-style: grilled chicken breasts, egg whites and NO fat. :( It broke my little heart and before long I would eat my weight in cheesy noodles and say screw it! Sound familar?

Alas, at the tender age of 31, I seem to finally have my act together. It has been exactly 17 days since I've gotten clean, with the exception of Thanksgiving - I had some chocolate cake and cheesecake for dessert. Aside from that, I have wiped out all processed foods, white flour, non-natural sugars, non-dark chocolate and cheesy noodles from my life. For the rest of my existance? I'd like to think so. But who knows really. Like any addict, I must take it one day at a time, focussing on eating the foods that make me feel good. Since I can't seem to manage junk food in moderation, my only option was to cut it out all together, and I finally able to do that without feeling like I was missing anything. How? By finding ideal replacement foods filled with good fats and real sugar that leave me happy, sans cravings. And let me tell you, I feel amazing.

Without further ado, here is a list of my sugar replacements/substitutes that have helped me kick my habit:

1. Lemons/Limes. Squeeze some into a glass of cold water in the summer, or in the winter, drinking hot water with a slice of lemon AND lime squeezed in is a great alternative to coffee or hot chocolate. I also squeeze both all over any seafood I have as well as certain veggies. Makes raw broccoli and cauliflower more edible for sure.

2. Teas. I love Orange Pekoe Tetley Tea and their red tea called Rooibos- it's a vanilla flavoured tea without caffeine. I add a drop of 1% milk and it feels like dessert. Some others I like are mint, strawberry, raspberry, passionfruit and green tea. Green tea is full of antioxidants and is all kinds of good for you.

3. Antipasto in a jar. I can't believe I had no idea what it even was for so many years. Fantastic as a sweet snack, it's a nice salsa-like mix of various veggies and it's delicious on whole wheat crackers. I enjoy Triscuit 100% Whole Grain crackers. They're very crunchy (probably taste like cardboard alone) and with a bit of antipasto on top, it's a party in your mouth!

4. Yogurt. One of the hardest things to give up. I mean the sugary sweet kind that I loved and pretended was good for me because it was yogurt. I had always bought either the Fat Free kind that was loaded with sugar (~ 20 grams), or a regular, full fat kind that had, well, fat and sugar. What about the fat-free, low sugar one (~4 grams), you ask? Well, the taste is not that great. So I compromised - bought one that was low fat, low sugar and one that was high in sugar and I use a teaspoon of the high sugar one to add taste. I also add blueberries, strawberries and All Bran Buds for a bit of crunchy fun. Bran Buds are another one that taste like those houseflies you find on your windowsill from the summer before, which is why you add them into your yogurt/berry mix. MMmm. It really is delicious.

5. Air-popped pop corn. You get fiber (super important to keep you full longer AND to keep you regular) and no butter added. A great snack for when you're watching tv.

6. Edamame. In the shell. Who would have thought that a food so good for you could taste so good AND be a complete protein (the only veggie that is). They take 5 mins to make and sucking them out of the shell keeps you so busy, you'll actually eat slower and realize you are full faster.

7. Crunchy peanut butter. I buy organic and make sure the ONLY ingredient is peanuts. You don't need any weird oils or fillers. Au natural it's full of good fats. But it IS high in fat, so don't eat too much. Also, a handful of nuts (only a handful, same high fat rule applies) like almonds or mixed nuts, without salt of course, is a great (and filling!) treat.

8. Fruit! The obvious substitute for processed sugar. I love kiwis, watermelon, blueberries, raspberries, apples, red/pink grapefruit and black plums, to name a few. Now remember, fruit is still high in sugar, so have a small piece after dinner, or when you're craving sugar really bad. If you're going to snack a lot, try veggies like red peppers, cukes, and celery. Or just eat a whole damn watermelon. Whatever keeps you from going to 7-11 for 3 chocolate bars and a flaky.

**Reading labels and comparing products is a great way to learn more about what your consuming. Ingredients are listed in order from most to least, so you want to make sure the good ingredients are ranked high on the list, and others like sugar, near the bottom.

I like to make salads out of all the nutrition-packed powerfoods in my fridge. One of my favorite is a spinach/mixed green salad filled with pecans, strawberries, red onion and goat cheese. For dressing try vinegar or even balsamic vinegar/olive oil. I like squeezed lemon/lime myself. I also like bowls of Bran Flakes with skim or 1% milk in the am and before bed. I used to add a few raisins to make it sweeter and slowly weened myself off them. Now I don't miss them.

Other treats I like to have on hand are cheese sticks (those real cheese ones, the kind you pull apart; I like to eat one with an apple), hummus and whole wheat pita and canned oysters on Triscuit crackers. Yes, many of my fave foods are HIGH IN FAT. But they are all GOOD FATS. The kind your body loves. When you have a choice, choose GOOD fat over sugar anyday. You will be satisfied and crave less sugar. I promise.