Salad, Hold the Lettuce

I lost weight by giving up my daily salad habit. You read that correctly. I finally realized that I am incapable of making a salad that isn't chock full of fat. Like those people who have to smoke when they drink, I have to have cheese, nuts, and loads of dressing with my lettuce. When I started The Fat Flush Plan, which I credit with helping me lose and keep off 12 lbs this year, I had to find a way to fill up at lunch without breaking the "rules" of the first two phases, which are quite restrictive.

Here is the "salad" that I came up with that is much healthier and less fattening than my old bowl of lettuce and fat. For some reason, not having the lettuce makes me taste and enjoy each flavor more. You can make this with meat or vegetarian with just the beans and veggies.

Diced chicken (grilled, roasted or baked), fresh shrimp or fresh or canned tuna
1/2 cup beans (black, chick pea and edamame are my favorites)
grape or cherry tomatoes
chopped yellow/orange/red pepper
green onions (if you like)
Any raw or cooked veggies like broccoli, peas, asparagus, carrots, beets, etc

1/3 avocado, diced

1 tbsp sunflower seeds

Dressing: (make in larger quantities and serve in 1 oz portions): 1 part flax oil or olive oil (I sometimes use half of each), 1 part apple cider vinegar (reduces bloat), 1 part lemon juice. You can add various herbs and spices to this if you wish. You can also experiment with different vinegars and citrus flavors for the dressing.

If you are really trying to lose weight (or on phase 1 of fat flush), leave off one or both of the last two ingredients and add them back once you hit a maintenance phase as they are very good for you but add calories and fat. If in maintenance, you can also add up to a 1/2 cup of a whole grain like quinoa, wheatberries or brown rice or up to a 1/4 cup of crumbled feta or goats cheese