And I am glad to know that I am already eating many of the superfoods daily. I also have some new ideas on things to add to my diet, and have already tried one new food.... Chickpeas! I was very scared of trying chickpeas aka garbonzo beans because I am deathly afraid of beans. But to be honest, I couldn't even taste them in my salad. But the thought of them being there bugged me. I'm so weird!

Anyway, after reading the recommended servings I thought... WOW. It would be hard to get all or even most of those in and stay at a caloric level that would enable me to lose weight. I think that once I reach goal I might be able to get most of them to maintain weight, but definitely not now.

So for now, I'm just going to eat as many of the superfoods that I can to stay within my target calorie range.

But all in all, a great diet plan.

Hi Shelley,

Yay for trying a new food! If you can eat garbanzos you can eat any bean I'd think! Garbanzos have a texture different from most beans. I eat a lot of beans... the magical fruit.

I think it was Glory87's weight loss story where I read she tries to get in 10 superfoods per day. But I just looked at today's menu and I got in about 15 some of those being sidekicks.

I feel so great since adding all of the superfoods and it's been fun finding new ways to eat. I was addicted to sugar and now I can get by with just the small amount of dark chocolate.

You're obviously doing a lot of things right with a loss of 40lbs! Congrats!

Charlene

I definitely combined super foods with calorie counting - it was much easier to eat more super foods when I raised my calories to maintenance level!

I always thought beans were the musical fruit! (Toot! Toot!)

LOL! I think that's why I have always been afraid to eat them. That, and I was a very picky child. But they didn't seem to cause any problems yesterday!

I eat beans almost every day. I really love garbanzos and kidney beans and cannelini beans and black beans, oh I love my beans. Your body does get adjusted though to beans so that gas problems will lessen over time.

Not all beans should be soaked like I think kidney beans are not supposed to be, can't remember: but some can be soaked for 24 hours and then that water dumped. That is supposed to help improve digestion and cut out some of the gassiness! I eat them 3-4 times a week! Usually mexican red beans and pinto. I make up a pot of turkey chili beans and then regular beans for burrito days.

Have you ever tried the roasted chickpeas? Just rinse a can of them, sorta pat them dry with a paper towel, and put on a baking sheet that's sprayed with Pam. I sprinkle chili powder or garlic powder on them too. Roast them, probably at around 350 or so, for 20-25 minutes but keep an eye on them because they'll burn in a hurry. They are a good crunchy snack.

Also, to cut down the acid in the beans (I think that's what it is that makes the gas) you can put a cut-up potato in the beans while they're cooking. Just be sure to DISCARD THE POTATO -- DON'T EAT IT!