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The Ten Most Recent Comments By tantejoan

From Ed Levine Eats

Gray's Papaya and Grandaisy Bakery: Dueling Breakfast Sandwiches on West 72nd

Always a prime consideration. And I hope you saw the cyber-tongue firmly planted in my cyber-cheek. I was just concerned that your recent trip to New Orleans had converted you to my former college roommate's credo: pork is the most important food group. It's true, but he's on his second bypass surgery now and I'm sure your wife wants you around and eating for a long time. Your readers, too.

From Ed Levine Eats

Gray's Papaya and Grandaisy Bakery: Dueling Breakfast Sandwiches on West 72nd

Ed, Ed, what the hell diet are you on, the 5,000 calorie a day version? I applaud your zest for life, but somehow pork, egg, cheese and bread sounds like a hefty caloric load to start off the day. Pace yourself -- you have at least two other meals plus snacks at which your must consume yummy pork products. What happened to your Greek yogurt regime?

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

Sorry to double-post, but I forgot my yogurt-flavoring tip: Try adding about 3 tablespoons of pomegranate seeds to your morning (or snacktime) plain Greek yogurt. It's tart and sweet, plus antioxidant. And Fairway has been selling nice tubs of seeds, so you don't have to deal with the peeling and staining.

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

See, that IS the trap. These little snack packs do not deliver the satisfaction that regular snacks provide. It makes you long for good mouth-feel, so you eat some more. It's why we all wound up eating full boxes of those Snackwells -- no satisfaction. My way is is strict, but works for me: none of these little darlings, and instead a strictly rationed -- and very occasional -- dose of full-fat flavor. A handful of Double-cheese baked Cheetos, for example, will do the trick. A couple of spoonsful of Bobbi's wonderfully garlicky hummus, straight. Or that Zaro's brownie, if you prefer. Try it.

Responses to Comments by tantejoan

From Ed Levine Eats

Gray's Papaya and Grandaisy Bakery: Dueling Breakfast Sandwiches on West 72nd

Always a prime consideration. And I hope you saw the cyber-tongue firmly planted in my cyber-cheek. I was just concerned that your recent trip to New Orleans had converted you to my former college roommate's credo: pork is the most important food group. It's true, but he's on his second bypass surgery now and I'm sure your wife wants you around and eating for a long time. Your readers, too.

From Ed Levine Eats

Gray's Papaya and Grandaisy Bakery: Dueling Breakfast Sandwiches on West 72nd

I appreciate your concern. I do pace myself. I ate half of each sandwich and didn't eat again until 5 in the afternoon, when I had one slice of pizza. Still doing the Greek yogurt thing. I had one yesterday and will likely have one tomorrow. I admit my diet regimen is uncomventional to say the least, but it is working. Most importantly, the regimen fits what I do for a living,

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

Ed, I know how tough this is...I was diagnosed, fairly recently, with Type II diabetes. I've done a huge amount of reading and soul-searching during these past few months, trying to figure out how, for the first time in my adult life, I am going to make changes in my diet and exercise patterns and make them sustainable for the rest of my life (I'm 57). In the past year, I've gone from 276 pounds to 245 (my goal is 220) and brought my blood sugar under control. Counting carbs, measuring my portions and exercising every day are so contrary to how I've lived my life up until now BUT I have designs on someday being a grandfather and a happy retiree. Please Ed, give up the junk food and focus on big flavors and on calories worth the investment. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

I'm down 2 pounds this week. No idea how. I think it's the consistent exercise.

I have nothing to add to the comments above on 100 calorie packs, except that you can buy something similar for popcorn. I find that very filling and as we all know, has little downside. Not much nutrition, tho.

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

If portions is a concern Ed, you might like these bowls
http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/content/0,21770,694417,00.html

Certainly not cheap, but they're good for portion control and certainly look nice.

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

yes, i agree with megnut et al. those highly processed foods are just so unhealthy and unsatisfying in the long run. it would be far better to eat lower on the food chain and consume fruits and veggies for snacks. what about a banana or an orange and a small handful of almonds for a snack, a hard boiled egg and a couple of raw carrots, an apple with a little peanut butter on it, a small bowl of homemade granola with some almond milk, or a container of leftover roasted veggies from the night before.


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From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

(oops, didnt read the posts by megnut et al. above, who said everything I wanted to say better than I did.)

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

Today's weigh in:

175/lbs / 22%

triple w00t!!! I did not expect to have rebounded from last week so well.

My opinion of 100 calorie snack packs, is that it's like giving a heroin addict a teeny tiny shot. Or giving an alcoholic a pony bottle of beer. It's still 100 calories of crap. Seriously, CheezIts and Snackwells are what you crave? Why not just forgo the 3 or 4 snacks (or more?) and just look forward to eating 400 calories more of REAL FOOD at your next meal? Why not eat an apple if you really need a snack?

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

I love the popcorn and yogurt suggestions.

Was too scared to get on the scale this morning. Maybe I'll try later.

From Ed Levine Eats

Ed Levine's Serious Diet Week 7: Can the 100-Calorie Snacks Be a Trap?

Oh, and another good snack for when you're feeling peckish and snacky is popcorn. You can make it on the stove in stock pot with a lid using only a teaspoon or two of oil (just make sure to keep shaking it) and it tastes waaay better than air popped or microwave. And then have fun creating spice mixtures to toss with it: cinnamon and a little powdered sugar; smoked paprika and nutritional yeast; finely grated parmesan and rosemary; chili powder and garlic salt, and on and on. You can make enough for a few days at a time and keep it in a ziploc. Only danger is, it's easy to eat a big ol' bucket of popcorn in one sitting, but it's still got way more fiber than those snack packs, and fiber is a dieter's best friend...