Mother, mother, mother - there's too many of you crying.

[Adder]

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall

I am currently against all diets. They're all stupid and cannot be maintained. I think the best way to lose weight is to gradually change the way you eat. Increase sashimi intake by one or two nights a week. Order a side salad instead of fries every other time. Cut way down on sugar. And reduce drinking to one to three days a week.

Yeah, don't diet, but many of us do need to permanently change the way we eat. Basically, I only get fries if there isn't another option.

Also, start reading the labels. Added sugar is everywhere. I make an extra grocery stop to get bread that has minimal sugar in it (it helps that the coop has other items I also want and can't get at the regular grocery store).

Once you get there, order the fish when you wanted the steak. Have chicken breast when you want the pork.

One thing that you realize when you start tracking, everything (btw, I did that too when I was taking it seriously) is that the difference between the proteins isn't that big. Whether it's chicken or pork, the danger mostly lurks in what you have with it. So I'd say order the asparagus instead of the mashed potatoes.

ETA: And while I don't disagree with your substitution strategy, for me, bright line rules, like no french fries, are better than ones that depend on making smart choices when hungry. As RT (I think) said, tracking your food also gets a lot easier if you basically eat the same thing repeatedly.