Happy Saturday!

I've been draggin' ass for a few days, not sure what my body is tryin to tell me but I'm constantly exhausted. However, last night after work, I did pop in a FIRM Workout DVD and completed about 20 mins, plus some ab workouts from my Belly Fat Cure book----and also did a mini-dance workout this morning. I can't wait until payday, I have a better idea now of what I need "diet" wise so I can shop a little smarter now. I'll list a few things that the Belly Fat Cure diet allows, particularly foods I stock up on in order to stay on track. They aren't "miraculous weight loss foods", but they are foods that are low in carb (if any) and low in sugar, but are also very tasty :D

1. Chicken, Chicken, Chicken.

         Boneless, skinless chicken breast is by far my favorite meat to cook with. I'm not much of a cooker (yet), so chicken breast is perfect and can be paired with veggies, put in wraps, salads, or just eaten alone. Recently, my boyfriend introduced me to the George Foreman Grill---wow! The chicken turns out super juicy and it cooks quickly! I'm still amazed! It's a healthy eaters best friend!

2. Lettuce-- and lots of it!

      I typically buy a few heads of lettuce per shopping trip. I use iceburg and Romaine leaf lettuce, the greener the better of course. I choose iceburg simply because it is cheap and full of "crunch". My boyfriend (who is on the same eating plan) prefers the green leaf lettuce like Romaine to put on sandwiches, wraps and burritos. Any time a I have a major craving for a "bad" food, I make a salad and chow down! Adding chicken, cheese, salt and pepper makes it super-satisfying!

3. Tea

I've always been a sweet tea drinker, easily drinking close to a gallon per day. On a diet of 15g of sugar or less per day, I knew I'd have to give up my beloved sweet tea--but this is far from the truth. In my Belly Fat Cure book, it suggests flavored teas (I personally love Lipton All Natural Green Tea Collection--I buy the variety pack, yum!). One of my dear friends introduced me to Bigelow Vanilla Caramel Tea--the smell alone will have your mouth watering! Add a few packets of sweetner and BAM, you've got yourself a great tasting treat.

4. Olive Oil

Yes! Olive oil is constantly used in my home. I've put it on top of salads, I sautee meats with it, I use it in homemade marinades, etc. It tastes great and it's a much healthier choice than vegetable oil, and in my opinion, tastes much better. I've read several articles on the benefits of olive oil, so I purchased the product and I only have one minor complaint-- the price. I buy a small bottle (not sure of the size...) and it's close to $5.00 and last about two weeks. This is a little pricey in my opinion, but when I think about the hundreds of dollars I've spent at fast food restaurants, ice cream, and sugary high-calorie foods, paying five bucks for healthy olive oil doesnt seem so bad. I also replaced my regular mayo with Kraft Mayo w/ Olive Oil--tastes a bit tart but I use less and it tastes pretty good mixed with tuna!

5. Eggs.

My boyfriend and I eat about a dozen eggs per week! We make veggie-filled omelettes, cheese omelettes, hard boiled eggs for salads and tuna, etc. Eggs have virtually no carbohydrate content, so they fit perfectly into any low carb eating plan. I must note, although I love eggs and am usually open to "natural foods", I don't really have a taste for the natural eggs--I'm not sure if it's the smell or taste or a combination of both, but I personally will not be buying those eggs anymore. My boyfriend, on the other hand, loves them. So, you be the judge. (My boyfriend is hounding me about making deviled eggs, so I'm sure I'll be making them soon!)