I wanted to continue to share more “swap” ideas. I also wanted to remind you that tonight (Thursday, July 28th) at 9:30pm EST, I will be doing another live chat on my Facebook page KimberlySnyderCN.
Whether you’re trying to lose weight, maintain a healthy lifestyle or change your eating habits, incorporating these swaps will help you take that next step in achieving your goals. One important step I tell my clients to take is to cut out coffee.
I suggest cutting out caffeine altogether, and coffee is one of the worst culprits. There’s always “new” studies that coffee has health benefits, but one thing can not be disputed: coffee is a highly acidic food.
You get enough acid-forming foods in the foods in your diet, and you certainly don’t need to be drinking it all day on top of that. It has also been linked to stimulating cortisol, which can lead to weight gain and belly fat.
The good news is that there are many alternatives you can try that will satisfy that same warm, creamy taste. The best replacement is warm almond milk with cinnamon and stevia. You will get that same comfort that coffee provides, but without the negative effects.
Try my Vegan Vanilla Latte recipe. If you must, keep it to one cup of coffee a day sans any dairy or creamer. Another drink that I tell clients to eliminate is soda. Soda is filled with sugar, and its a huge source of empty calories. Diet soda is actually worse in my opinion because it’s filled with chemicals and artificial sweeteners.
As I just discuss on my The Today Show segment last week, even though these beverages have no calories, they are sweetened with aspartame, saccharine or sucrolose, making them acidic and actually contributing to weight gain in the long run. Instead, try getting hooked on a caffeine-free herbal tea.
I personally love red rooibos. Add some stevia or xilitol to sweeten it up. It may not taste like soda, but if you swap these two cold drinks, you will soon get so used to the refreshing taste of iced tea that you won’t miss the soda.
And you definitely won’t miss the added calories, chemicals and the lethargic, bloated feeling that’s left behind. Lately, I’ve seen lots of people on film sets drinking a lot of those iced yerba mate drinks also.
I don’t recommend them. They are full of caffeine and are taxing on the adrenals. Yerba mate can be drank hot in moderation, which regulates portion size, but should not be guzzled by the can. You can also start making swaps at the barbecue. Instead of eating a burger, switch to a veggie burger. Red meat contains an extreme level of toxins, and when cooking creates aging, inflammatory and disease-causing compounds called acrylamides and advanced glycation end products.
Remember, toxins make you fat! My clients are highly intelligent adults that manifest a tremendous amount of creative potential. I don’t tell them they can never have red meat again, but I inform them on how it diminishes their health, good looks and creative potential, and they pretty much all stop eating it permanently as their own decision.
They also get addicted to feeling really great on plant-based alternatives. Buns are just sugar disguised in a bread-like mounded shape. I never touch those things! Skip them and you’ll feel much better. Finally, another tricky swap you can make is by eliminating cream-based soups, like clam chowder and cream of mushroom. Remember that dairy is a major doozie for your health and beauty goals. Instead start eating pureed vegetable soups or order broth-based soups at restaurants.
You will be just as satisfied with the warm taste of tomato, squash, carrot zucchini soup. All you need is the vegetables, some sea salt, and possibly some almond milk for creaminess. It will satisfy that urge for soup, without the dairy, fat and excess calories.
Now that you know about all these delicious everyday swaps, you can start making small changes to your everyday diet. You will become more magnetic, beautiful, and energized with so many foods that help burn fat!
My parents drink Yerba de mata everyday since, they are from Argentina. But, I never really drink. However, when I noticed it’s good for bowel movement. So is there a difference in the natural herbs vs tea bags or bottled?
Hi Andrea, it is okay in moderation, especially since it is native to South America and they are drinking it there. It does have significant levels of caffeine, so guzzling 2, 3, 4+ bottles a day does have a negative impact! 1 hot mug a day is okay though.
xx
Hey Kimberly! I love you book but am stumped on two issues I am hoping you can help me with! First, I really do love chickpeas and other beans- is it ok to incorporate them and if so, how?
Second- I read in several sources that soy lecithin helps to emulsify fat in the body (Cellulite!!!) but I know you are anti-soy. Does lecithin have the same negative effect?
Thanks and hugs!!
HI Nicki, you can incorporate beans into your dinners.
The way lecithin may help with cellulite is not by emulsifying fat, but by strengthening connective tissue, so the fat doesn’t push up into collagen and make the “dimples” which are characteristic of cellulite. There are many other foods and methods which strengthen connective tissue and also avoid the tough fat deposits which contribute to cellulite (avoiding cooked animal and vegetable oils, for instance). If you want to use lecithin you can try finding sunflower lectithin. The soy lecithin may have detrimental affects on the thyroid and metabolism, which wouldn’t really help with your fat issue!
Thanks so much!!
These are great suggestions! I wish Starbucks would offer the warm almond milk with stevia and cinnamon. Sounds delish :) Was wondering, what the recipe for that veggie burger is… it looks so good! I usually stick to a portobello cap, but that veggie burger might change my mind!
Try the Alkaline Grain Veggie burger!
Hi, Kimberly
Great Tips!!
I have a question for you, i want to lose belly fat. How can I lose belly fat? I have tried everything, but I just can’t get rid of it. Can you help me with the problem? I eat Fat-Free and Sugar Free foods, a lot of veggies and fruit. Can you suggest a meal plan for me and what exercise are best for losing belly fat? Please Can You Help Me Out?
Thanks.
Oh, I wish I had never promised someone that I’d never join Facebook (that was back when it was mostly teenagers and college students, so I didn’t think I’d ever want to anyway). I guess I’ll be missing out on yet another live discussion. Bummer. At least I retweeted it for ya.
I was wondering if you’ve ever traveled to the Myrtle Beach, SC area. I’ll be heading that way before the summer is over and wanted some food recommendations. Thanks :-)
I actually went there last year! Believe it or not, there’s an Arnold Palmer (is the the right golfer’s name?) restaurant that can make you good salads and veg food. There’s a lot of chains there. I thankfully had a place with a kitchen so I mainly made my own food, which hopefully you can too!
Ha ha. I should know his name, since my dad goes golfing down there all the time. I at least know who you’re talking about. I’ll have to check out that restaurant. Thanks for the tip. I’m also lucky to be staying in a house with a kitchen, so I can prep my own food.
Somebody suggested the Mellow Mushroom, where the rest of the group (I am going with my parents, sisters, their families, etc., who don’t all eat like me) can have their usual pizza and stuff (or be influenced by my decisions), and I can build my own salad from the menu (it’s so nice to have that “build your own” option, instead of making substitutions). Have you ever been there?
Thanks again for your help. I really appreciate it :-)
Hi Kim,
In your book, you give guidelines for how much nuts, seeds, and oils can be eaten per day maximum.
I’m wondering if I should limit myself to those guidelines if I’m eating virtually no other fat sources.
I eat fresh fruit, raw veggies, (lots of greens) unpasteurized miso, celtic sea salt, nutritional yeast, seaweeds, and raw honey occasionally. Some days I’ll eat an avocado, but I wouldn’t be eating nuts and seeds on the same day as the avocado.
Is sea salt really that much healthier in comparison to regular iodized salt or No Salt? My dad is going to be 56 and he suffers from high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I’ve noticed over the past year or 2 his taste has been declining, because he saturates all of his food with No Salt.
Concerned about his health, I told him he should start using sea salt because I’ve read that it’s healthier for you. He told me a week or 2 later he was watching the news and they did a study on sea salt in comparison to other salts and their conclusion stated it was no healthier.
I was hoping to get your opinion on the salt matter so I can hopefully convince my dad to use sea salt if it is in fact healthier? Or at least if it’ll help reduce his cholesterol and possibly his high blood pressure.
Thank you!
Hi Angela,
High quality sea salt is better in the regard that it has some trace minerals, etc. but it still has sodium in it. In a case with your dad, he might be better with using no to very little salt in general, and flavoring his food with herbs and spices.
However, some of the most important thing for those conditions are to reduce dairy, animal products, introduce more greens and complete eliminate any polyunsaturated vegetable oils (canola, corn, soy, etc.). Cook with coconut oil.
xx
Hey Kimberly, I love both your book and blog! I was wondering if you could give me the name of a good colonic in the NY area, which I think I’m desperate need of. Thanks for the info!
Yes! I love Linda Strobeck. You can text/call her at: 201 310 2860. Say you’re a blog reader of mine.
:)
How about it LA?
The soup and the veggie burger…can we please have the recipe or brand names…THEY LOOK DELICIOUS!
soup and veggie burger recipe are in The Beauty Detox Solution.
Hey there!! Me again! Got your awesome book and I have a question… I am cutting out coffee finally and replacing it with your glowing green smoothie! But here is my question.. What is your take on the oxidation of the greens and nana?? What I mean is how long will a smoothie last in your opinion?? I guzzle it down fast thinking it is decomposing or the enzymes are dissipating fast…lol but I would like to have a cup, little by little… What do you think?? Do you think I could make a “ton” and drink it all day long??? Love this blog and your you tube videos btw :)
I bought your book and love it! I’ve been drinking your green smoothie every morning. One question. Should I avoid eating spinach everyday because it has oxalic acid?
Hi Kimberly!
I’ve been suffering from Candida for about 12 years… I had two nasal surgeries and many doctors, but was lucky to have an allergist inform me about Candida 6 years ago. I’ve been on a quest ever since, but even with a strict anti-candida diet, I could never seem to beat it. I caught on to the “detox” way of eating about 8 months ago, which started helping, but it wasn’t until I read your book a couple months ago that everything came into focus and now seems like a piece of cake! Your diet, minus the fruit for me as you suggest, has the missing pieces and I’m finally feeling stronger than the yeast!! Complete victory is not far away! :) I just want to say thank you for your own personal quest- It has benefited me immensely and changed my life in every way! I’m so thankful for my candida problem now, as I’m pretty sure I would not have found the true way to live without it. Now I can set an example and pass it on to my loved ones too!
Thanks again!
Kim (happy and lovin’ life!)
Hi i live in Chile and can Not Get alomad milk
Any alternative?
Ty
I would love to have your opinion on eating tomatoes… they are a fruit, so do they have to be consumed on an empty stomach? If not, what foods do tomatoes digest best with… starch or protein? And lastly, what is your feeling about the whole “nightshade family” of veggies, e.g. tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant? I have been told that they can be problematic.
Hey Kimberly!
Thank you for your book! I just bought it and read it ….I’m looking forward to trying your ideas.
I’ve got a couple of questions
a) I’m almost vegan ( stil wearing leather, no dairy, meat or fish). What stage should I start with?
b) I looooove my organic, decaf coffee….is decaf ( the caffeïne is extracted by CO2 extraction) as bad as regular coffee? What is your opinion on coffee alternatives like roasted graincoffee or any other type of “fake coffee”…like acorn coffee?I always drink it with ricemilk or oatmilk
Thank you!
Lots of love from Antwerp, Belgium
Please let us know about Decaf coffee; I really love it in the morning.
Hi Kim!Thanks for all the great info!I just want to know,is it ok if I start off with the green juice iso the smoithie?Worried about to little fibre?Also,should I be worried about consuming to little calories now that I am eating more greens and less snacks?
Hi Kimberly,
I recently gave birth to a baby girl ( 6 months ago). During my pregnancy i gained 65lbs. I lost 30 lbs in the first 3 weeks, but now I would like to lose the remaining 35-40 lbs. Do you recommend your solution for nursing mothers? Are the digestive enzymes okay to take while breastfeeding? I would love to shed these pounds by the fall, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Congrats on your success!
Hi Kim,
Thank you for all your work and sincere interest in people’s health and well-being.
Just a quick question. May coconut milk be used in place of almond milk in your recipes? Thanks!
Hi Kimberley – I have quite a bit of weight to loose. I am currently on the Radiant Beauty phase. Will I continue loosing weight if I go to the True Beauty phase after a month, or should I stay on the Radiant phase until I’ve reached my weight loss goals? I am also trying to improve my endometriosis, and think that the True Beauty phase will be better for my healing. Please advice.
Thanks!
I was just thinking as I stood in the Starbucks line this morning that you’d want me to order a Roobios tea instead of coffee, but I was embarrassed that I didn’t know how to say it! I looked it up and it says “Roy Boss” so I promise to try that tomorrow instead. (Don’t worry, I already gave up the milk & Splenda!)
Hi Kimberly,
I started the blossoming beauty phase of eating healthy but i am having trouble with sugar cravings in late afternoon. Any suggestions on what to do when i really feel like i need something sweet?
Hi Kim,
Can you do a post on balancing hormones for women to help with regulating the menstrual cycle?
This is very informative blog post
Hi Kim, I appreciate all the info you give on your blog and in your book!! What is the best recipe for butternut squash? Thanks Kim!!
Kimberly,
I just found your website.
Thanks for all of the great info!
I’ve been a vegan since I was 38. Now I’m mostly raw.
And 51 !!! (I look so much better than my father did at this age.)
I’ve been making morning smoothies for years. Greens are great in these, aren’t they? Spinach has virtually no taste. If I add other stronger greens instead (such as dandelion greens or kale), I also add a couple dates to balance the taste. I’ve recently started adding a lemon (after slicing off the peel; one lemon for 2 smoothies). I also have a set of Tupperware cups that have an airtight lid with a rubber opening for a straw. Storing that in a dark refrigerator lets it keep for the next morning (or the morning after that). I can grab it and go.
At 51 it is getting harder to keep extra weight off (as my slightly older female cousins have warned me — they’re both still very beautiful and they’re not vegans — not sure how they did that!). But most people mistake me for being around 40. So I’ll take it!
I’ll keep checking back to your site for more!
~Glory B.
magnificent post, very informative. I wonder why the other experts of this sector do not notice this. You must continue your writing. I am confident, you’ve a huge readers’ base already!
Thank you! All this info has personally helped me a lot as well. :)
Hey Kim,
Are there any foods you would suggest that can help regulate/bring back a menstrual cycle? I’m looking for a more natural alternative!
Many thanks,
Monika