I'm cutting out dairy, red meat, and sugar.........??????

Question

I am buying all organic foods now and am cutting the above out of my diet. I decided to still eat fish however because of the high protein in it and I live in Florida where it is everywhere. With all of these changes, will I lose weight and feel healthier?? I no longer want to feel run down all the time and my addiction to sugar needed to be stopped!! Any suggestions would be nice.

When I say I am cutting out sugar, it means Mountain Dew and Chocolate crap. I eat tons of fruit!!

To Dannii....why are you giving me a recipe that has dairy and sugar in it?? I am cutting these things out!!

Answer 1

What about cutting out poultry too? Oh, and if you're looking for protein, there are lots of very low fat/low calorie meat alternatives - Boca, Gardenburger, and Morningstar.

Organic food is good (more expensive too). Cutting out sugar is very good - something I haven't done yet. A suggestion for your sweet tooth is to eat fruit for dessert. A slice of watermelon or a bowl of strawberries is so much better than a brownie for instance! I think you will definitely feel healthier. I can't say how fast you'll lose weight, but good luck!

Answer 2

well you will certainly fell healthier - but cutting these things out does not necessarily mean weight loss. You'll want to be careful with the amount of fruit you eat, as they are very high in calories and can cause weight gain. Also, your food sources will have to come from somewhere, and the obvious and easiest option available will be with carbohydrates... be careful of that too! - its so easy to eat a bagel or bread foods when we are hungry, because they are everywhere and they are cheap and taste good and they fill us up (at least for a little while) -
Since your new diet is fairly restricitive you have to be very "premeditated" about your eating. Make sure that you carry healthy and "approved" options with you to munch on when hunger strikes.

Answer 3

Whoa Nellie!!!

A great idea, but with most things (diet included) your chances of success are greatly increased if you don't bite off more than you can chew- er, pardon the pun.

If these things are a large part of your current diet, you may be better coming off them more slowly. For example, buy a quart of dairy instead of 2 gallons and use it sparingly. The following week go down to a pint and finally, complete elimination- by which time you'll be used to soy milk.
For red meat, allow yourself one meal a week- that way if you succumb to an extreme burger craving, you don't feel like a complete failure for breaking your diet- it's within what you've allowed yourself.

That's why things like the nicotine patch and gum work so well for smokers- someone who's been smoking 3 packs a day shouldn't try to quit by going cold turkey.

I'd suggest talking to others who've given up sugar to see if they can recommend healthy subsititutes.

When your body has adjusted to having less of the bad stuff, it's easier to eliminate it entirely. Good luck in any case!

Answer 4

Yes, that sounds good. I think you will be healthier, and exercising a little could help too.

And there's nothing wrong with your decision to eat fish, considering you are cutting out most meat for your health. So, i think this is the appropriate category for your question--wanting advice about cutting out some meat. (this is in response to some other ppl's answers)

One suggestion--(and question)--are you cutting them all out at once? If you are, i would suggest that you instead cut them out gradually, a little at a time, so you will be able to stick with your new diet better.
Check out new vegetable recipes to dress up veggies you normally didnt like. Also try new types of food from around the world.

Answer 5

Below is an answer I've recycled a few times, but I think it could be helpful to you too. (I realize that you're not becoming a vegan or vegetarian but close to it.) I have been a vegan for about 15 months, and I can honestly say that I have not given into any cravings. It's more than likely that I have unknowingly eaten some nonvegan, and perhaps nonvegetarian foods, but I've made every attempt to avoid those. I highly suggest you watch Earthlings if you haven't already. It is a documentary narrated by Joaquin Phoenix that explains how much humans rely on animals for food, entertainment, science, and clothing. It totally changed my life, because it pretty much convinced me to convert to Veganism. I wasn't vegetarian before - I was a full on omnivore. Once you understand how much of an impact your diet has on the world, it's hard not to change. There are tons of alternatives to meat and dairy. If you have a Whole Foods or Outpost near you, that will be much easier for you. I depend heavily on the meat alternatives. Boca obviously makes Boca burgers, but if you're used to eating real hamburgers, make sure you have lettuce, tomato, and other condiments. That way they test better, and of course get the extra veggies. Boca also makes chicken nuggets which are really good. Morningstar makes what I think are called Meal Starters. They have "ground beef," "steak strips," and "chicken strips." I use the "ground beef" in tons of recipes. Gardenburger also makes vegetarian and vegan burgers (make sure to look at the box) , veggie crumbles (ground beef), and my favorite - bbq riblets. Oh they're so yummy! Tofu is also a great addition to a vegan diet, if you haven't started eating that. It's cheap (about $2 a block), high in protein, and low in fat (as are all veggie protein substitutes). It tastes bland by itself, but will take on the flavor of whatever marinade or sauce you use. I definitely suggest the firm or extra firm varieties. Dairy substitutes are pretty easy (at least for me) to come by. I've successfully found vegan ice cream (Soy Decadent makes Peanut Butter Zig Zag which is to die for), cream cheese, sour cream (Tofutti brand), and mayo (Nayonaise and Veganaise). They do make vegan cheese too, but I only use it on homemade pizza. So as you can see, tons of alternatives to meat and dairy! For your sweet tooth, I definitely recommend fruit (but I'm sure you knew that already). And I love love smoothies. I make mine with 1 cup soymilk, 1/2 a banana, and frozen fruit of my choice and blend. Delicious! Finally, becoming a vegan is a huge change. I've been given a hard time about it, but I think my family and friends are finally beginning to understand how important this is to me. Just remember that a vegan diet is a diet of compassion. Good luck to you!! P.S. I have a bunch of recipes I've either converted from my meat eating days or recently discovered. Let me know if you're interested!

Answer 6

An easy and tasty alternative for serving fish. The variations can be endless

Thai Fish Cakes

"An easy and tasty alternative for serving fish. The variations can be endless!"

INGREDIENTS
1 pound boneless fish fillets, cubed
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
4 green onions, sliced
1 egg
all-purpose flour
oil for frying

DIRECTIONS
Combine fish, 1/2 cup flour, oyster sauce, sweet chili sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, cilantro, green onions, and egg in a food processor. Process until well combined. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Shape mixture into patties, and dust with flour.
Pour enough oil into a heavy skillet to fill the pan with 1/2 inch of oil. Heat over medium-high heat until hot. Fry fish cakes for 8 minutes, turning once, or until golden brow

Answer 7

This is not exactly a vegetarian question (vegetarians don't eat fish)..it's more like a healthy diet question. Eating a balanced healthy diet is key to feeling good.

Answer 8

well u do still need dairy so I all u have to do is get like fat free yogurt...that is sugarfree too! An u can get some meats that have protein which u need that r fat free like certain lunch meats and there is fat free bread...a bunch of stuff..umm...u can still have deserts and stuff but if ur watching caloried and stuff I would go w/ fat free stuff! That's what I Do! ^_^ great luck! If u need any more help just send me a message!

Answer 9

sorry to dissapoint you but theres sugar in everything! Wiether its natural sugars or artifical sugars, they're still there.

Answer 10

That is a good plan, so good luck, I would say you will feel good and lose weight too!