The very first thought on any dieter’s mind is almost certainly, ‘how long until I can go back to my normal way of eating?’
Most of us usually fall off the diet bandwagon because we just cannot resist our favourite meal. A pizza, a burger, a steak slathered in sauce or those crispy, golden brown French fries. Of course, this doesn’t really sit well with our waistlines…
Nobody wants to eat a salad on a cold winter’s day, just like you can’t resist an ice cold cool drink on a warm summer’s day. What about parties, how do we say no to nearly everything on the menu? We understand this challenge and for this reason we have decided to compile a list of our favourite but healthy, diet friendly alternatives.

• Using sugar in your coffee/tea/food

It is highly unlikely that you will be able to switch from 2 teaspoons of sugar to black coffee with no sugar. It is very important that you use NO sugar. It’s an addiction, and it’s probably best to go cold turkey.
We recommend:
If you need to make it a transition, substitute with Stevia, Zylitol or Erythritol. Make this transition over a period of 3 months as it could be bad for you stop using any sugar all at once.

2) Snacking
Snacking is a habit most of us have formed, especially in front of the television or at a social gathering. While snacking is actually unnecessary, nobody can argue against a popcorn combo at the movies or a packet of your favourite chips on the couch.
We recommend:
Swop your potato chips and pretzels for a much healthier option like biltong, cheese or nuts.

Dining out
Eating at a restaurant does not have to be quite the headache that you expect it to be. You will be surprised to know that restaurants nationwide have become ‘banting friendly’ offering low carb, high protein meals. Some popular hotspots are Spur, Kauai and Col’Cacchio.
We recommend:
Simply browse online for a banting friendly option close to you! Hoender stokkies

4) What to drink… drankies

There is only so much you can take before you can’t look a glass of water or a cup of tea in the eye (so to speak). The good news is that you are welcome to drink as many low-calorie/calorie-free drinks as you like.
We recommend:
Coke Zero, Sprite Zero, Tab, etc. Adding a splash of lemon juice or a lemon slice to your cola may also improve the taste. If you enjoy sugar free lemonade or sprite, try adding low carb concentrates for different flavours. For some ideas on how to spice up your ice cold drinks with a taste of summer, visit she who eats for recipes.

5) Bread
Unfortunately bread is a definite no-no, you will need some alternatives.

We recommend:
Finger foods to replace your sandwich habits. Some favourites that we have tried:
i. Ham with mustard between two slices of Swiss cheese.
ii. A stick of Cheddar in a lettuce leaf.
iii. Thinly spread 1 tablespoon Black Cat Peanut Butter on 4 slices of ham – roll and secure with toothpicks
iv. Slice tomatoes – sprinkle with herbs – grate cheese on top and microwave till the cheese has melted
v. Make a platter: Small pieces of chicken, meat balls, ham-rolls, carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes, cucumber-sticks/slices, gherkins, cheese strips, tiny sausage-servings and serve with an avocado-dip
vi. Tack in on toothpicks: cheese cubes, coloured pickled onions, gherkins, ham cubes
vii. Hollow out a green pepper or tomato – fill with tuna-mayonnaise, chopped onions and herbs, and garnish with parsley – ham-mayonnaise can also be used
viii. Buy low carb bread from your pharmacy or bake your own by using almond meal instead of white flour.

If you look for it, you will find thousands of low carb recipes that will satisfy any craving you might have. Recipes that won’t add inches to your waist – especially with summer around the corner.
The important thing to remember is that your body will change as you correct your way of eating, which means the cravings you experience now will be a thing of the past. The one major piece of advice that we can give you is to equip yourself with ‘carbohydrate goggles’. Once you understand what carbohydrates do to your body you might not be that keen to poison your diet with them.
Ask yourself: Is this muffin worth a 30 minute workout? Most likely, not!
For more advice on healthy eating, book a free 15 minute consultation with us to find out what we can do for you!

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