General Diet Plans and Questions General diet questions, support for various diet plans other than those listed below.

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Old 10-20-2013, 09:19 AM   #286  
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Many of us make our own shakes, soups and even entrees. No ingredient is banned (so long as you can make the recipe fit the guidelines). I often use skim milk and yogurt to make my shakes. Many brands of greek yogurt meet the shake guidelines.

As to coffee, there are coffee and mocha flavored shakes available. Some contain caffeine, but many do not, so you have to read the label.

I am not a big coffee fan, but I do keep a small jar of instant coffee (the kind that does contain caffeine) on hand to add to chocolate and vanilla shakes.

For caffeine, I also will use energy drink packets in my shake (or in a separate beverage). For example, right now I have a couple caffeinated Crystal Light flavors. Mango-peach and some kind of lemonade (pomegranate lemonade, I think).

I do not buy ready-made shakes (mostly because I find them far too sweet and I think, overpriced).

Instead, I buy unflavored protein isolate. My favorite is undenatured whey protein isolate (also called cold-filtered, cold processed, or microfiltered). Some brands do not identify how their whey protein isolates are made, but if they stress in their advertisements that their products dissolve extremely well and quickly, even in water, there's a good chance that they're using a cold, microfiltering process.

Syntrax medical (available online and in some retail stores, like Vitamin World) is one brand, but if you live near a privately owned dairy or cheesemaker, you may be able to buy it cheaper.

Syntrax also makes many flavored and sweetened whey protein drink mixes using cold-filtered whey protein.

In a pinch, I can make a "shake" by stirring a scoop of whey isolate and a single packet of sugar free drink mix into a 16 - 20 ounce glass of water and ice (110 calories).

Cold-filtered whey protein isolate is more expensive than conventionally (heat) processed whey proteins, but I find that the texture and flavor is far better. It has a milder, more milk-like flavor.

Last edited by kaplods; 10-20-2013 at 09:41 AM.
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Old 10-20-2013, 09:38 AM   #287  
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Mmmmmm, instant coffee in the shake. Brilliant. Thanks!
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Old 10-29-2013, 06:24 PM   #288  
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You don't have to track carbs on TSD, but you may want to experiment to see if sugar or other carbs affect your weight loss or hunger.

As to making your own entrees - I understand why it's discouraged. It complicates the diet, making it less simple, and unless a person is meticulous at measuring and good at math, extra fat and calories can creep in. It's also easier to have a second helping, just because it's there.

Although I make many of my own entrees I weigh everything (before and after cooking) and freeze all but one helping as soon as I divide the batch into serving containers.

I don't eat wheat, and wheat free dinners are hard to find. There are a few, but I'd go crazy eating the same three or four entrees for months on end. I also can make a better tasting entree at a better price, using better ingredients.

It's not the simplest solution, but it's working well.
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Old 11-07-2013, 09:37 AM   #289  
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I'm a male who has been doing this diet for 2 1/2 weeks. I know what you mean about the stigma of zapping a lean cuisine on your lunch break. However; for me making my own substitutes is not a good idea because poor judgment is how I got so big in the first place. I've found that for my size I can get frozen entrees from my meat shop (m&ms) that taste amazing and don't carry a stigma. Some of them go up to 500 cal with a bit over 10 g fat (I'm looking at you red curry shrimp and rice). I count them as 2 entrees. Remember, the plan is a minimim. I have 3 shakes and 3 entrees (1 under 300 cals and one over) a day and I've lost 15 pounds in 2 1/2 weeks. I counted the cals on a website and im at around 1400 a day, a full thousand under my normal expenditure. Im never hungry.

My advice is to tweak the entree rather than substitute. Save that for the next phase. Good luck
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Old 11-07-2013, 06:33 PM   #290  
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Except for pms chocolate and burger cravings, I mostly gained and maintained my too large weight on too large portions or too frequent portions of good choices. I gained my weight on foods many people believe "no one gets fat on."

My answer is "yes they do, if they eat enough of it."

Homemade substitutions work well for me, because I'm willing and able to be anally precise in making sure my shakes and entrees fit exactly within the program guidelines and are as good or better nutritionally than the entrees available in the grocery store.

I do have to stick as close to the plan minimums as I can, because I can and have stalled on too many servings of fruits and vegetables, so it's better and easier for me to make my own shakes and entrees, making sure they PRECISELY match guidelines than to use grocery store entrees that may only come close.

If you're going to make your own entrees and shakes, there are some precautions you need to be willing to take:

1. Absolutely, no taste testing while cooking.

2. Always use a recipe, and only use a recipe if l you have done the math or the math has been done for you by a reputable source AND the calories, fat, and protein per serving are ALL within guidelines. Not kinda-sorta close.

3. Do not substitute ingredients unless you recalculate the calorie, fat, and protein content for the entire recipe AND it still falls within guidelines.

4. Use a food scale to measure ingredients, your nutrition counts will be more accurate.

5. If the recipe makes more than one serving, use the food scale to weigh the finished food and to divide it into equal portions. Make sure your math is correct.

6. You don't have to count carbs or fiber, but it makes sense to maximize fiber and protein and keeping fat levels moderate to low (within guidelines).

7. Follow ALL other Simple Diet guidelines, including and perhaps especially that of maximizing variety and volume. The more food you get for your calorie/fat/protein alottment, the better.

8. Use fresh, whole ingredients whenever possible

9. Do not use ingredients that are trigger foods, or foods that you can't resist snacking on.


It's simpler of course to buy ready-made entrees, but homemade may be more practical in many situations such as allergies, tight finances, or sodium intolerance.
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Old 12-17-2013, 12:15 PM   #291  
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I too was wondering about the carbs. I cannot take artificial sweetners as they make me crave real sugar! I see Nestle breakfast essentials have more carbs but no fake sugar. Can I use these? I have a few of them and know where to buy more for a good price. Since it was mentioned carbs aren't tracking, I think that is a good thing!
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Old 12-17-2013, 01:02 PM   #292  
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The Nestles Breakfast Essentials I've seen, exceed the 200 calorie limit for shakes when made with skim milk (220 calories, 13g protein), but do not have enough protein when made with water (130 calories, 5 g protein). It looks like they would fit, if you make them with 3/4 cup milk, and 1/4 cup water (197 calories, 10.5g carb).

They wouldn't be a good choice for me, because the carbs are mostly sugar and while artificial sweeteners increase my cravings for sweetness and stimulate my appetite, real sugars do the same only many times worse. I also like my shakes to have more protein and fewer carbs because I find that more filling.

For myself, I find the best way to curb hunger and cravings is to minimize high glycemic carbs and use artificial and natural sweeteners as sparingly as possible.

If the real sugar doesn't affect your appetite or cravings, you can make it work.


I'm finding that stevia doesn't seem to cause as much of the craving/appetite spike that other sweeteners do, but I suspect that may be because stevia tends to be somewhat bitter in large doses, and bitter flavors tends to reduce appetite, in my experience.

If the Breakfast Essentials work for you, you can make them fit the plan with a bit of tweaking.

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Old 12-17-2013, 03:39 PM   #293  
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Thank you so much!!! I also found the Boost Protein one is good too with 15grams of protein. Even a stick of sugarless gum has me, literally, fighting myself not to eat a cake!! I will use the boost ones instead. At least they do have the protein.
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Old 12-17-2013, 03:40 PM   #294  
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Now I saw the South Beach diet smoothies has stevia. Is that an artificial sweetner because they say no artificial sweeteners in it but it does have stevia.
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Old 12-30-2013, 04:49 PM   #295  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kaplods View Post
I think our thread is a bit more challenging to keep active, because TSD is so simple that there's not a lot to discuss. I think it also suffers from the stigma against processed and premade foods especially shakes (yet making your own meals and shakes to fit is seen by many as being too much work).

Even people who will consider meal replacement plans tend to believe that programs such as Ideal Protein, Nutrisystem, HMR, Medifast.... are nutritionally superior to a self-selected plan like TSD. Or even believe that you have to spend big money for anything that works.

I've looked at the nutrition and ingredient labels, and am convinced that TSD is no more or less nutritionally balanced than any of the other meal replacement plans. And if you maximize variety as the authors suggest, especially in regard to "eating the rainbow" of fruits and vegetables, I think the plan can even rival whole food diets such as South Beach and Paleo.

I'm just a little surprised the book and plan haven't become more popular, even with the stigma. I mean seriously, the cabbage soup diet is still popular. Who thinks that's healthy?
This. Yes.

While I'm not fully on TSD (as in, I tend to avoid bars or shakes unless it's just an "emergency" necessity), I am pretty much...well, using TSD. Frankly, I think the variety and the emphasis on eating veggies and fruits makes it much healthier than many other pre-packaged meal plans.

Anyway, I'll join in - book ordered. Though honestly, it doesn't seem necessary as it appears very straightforward. You know, simple.
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Old 12-30-2013, 05:23 PM   #296  
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I just finished reading through this thread and I'm excited that it appears I'm already using TSD, though without having read the book. I have ordered it because I'm all for making sure I've got it all.

At any rate, hello, all - I lost 120 lbs doing extreme low carb, but it stopped working for me. Middle age, perimenopause, possible thyroid issues have all struck, and the low carb just stopped working. 50 lbs have crept back on, and I'm nipping it in the bud now. I am a good cook, but I've also returned to get double master's degrees and am writing a book, so have little time at present to spend measuring and weighing.

So, I've decided to go to pre-packaged frozen meals and soups for awhile, in order to get my portions back under control. I'm also including at least one piece of fruit a day, and at least four servings of lower-starch veggies. I rarely have a shake or protein bar, as they're not filling to me and I don't want to waste my calories on foods that don't really stop my hunger.

Is this the only thread on 3fatchicks that discusses this type of eating? I started a thread in the support forum, and thanks to Kaplods and a couple of others, it didn't degenerate completely into "You shouldn't be eating those processed foods - bad, bad, bad!" though at first that's what I got. I figured this might be a better place to post and not get the lectures from folks who just think they know better.
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Old 03-19-2014, 09:22 AM   #297  
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Good morning.
Is anyone still doing this WOE? I am restarting this today and think it is a great plan.
Love to hear from others that are doing this so we can give each other support.
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Old 04-23-2014, 09:24 AM   #298  
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Hi all, I just discovered this diet a few days ago and started yesterday. I had been considering Nutrisystem but didn't want to spend the $ for it. This looks like a good substitute. Down 2 lbs already! Hope to get hubby to join me on this.
Is anyone still doing this plan?
Ignore the ticker at the bottom..was from another challenge...anyone know how to delete the ticker?

Last edited by Skini mini; 04-23-2014 at 09:25 AM.
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Old 04-25-2014, 03:41 PM   #299  
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Skini mini. I love this way of eating. So convenient. I do make several of my own entrees and shakes because of the sodium, but always have some store bought ones handy just in case I don't have anything prepared.
I am about your height and need to lose approx. 20 - 25#
Good luck with this plan.
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Old 04-25-2014, 06:16 PM   #300  
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Hey Shabby! Glad to know that someone is still doing this plan. It is so easy and I feel like I'm eating SO much! I have about 40 to lose and hope I can accomplish it with this diet. I did Ideal Protein a few years ago and had some success but it is so restrictive that I only lasted about 3 months. I'm sure at some point I'll start making my own entrees but for know I'll stick with Lean Cuisine or WW meals. Good luck and keep me posted on your progress!
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