Posts by Thomas Ortiz10

Kate Sullivan22 said:that black sugar (not brown, I mean the pitch-black stuff),

Where can I find some?

I'm strictly a Levi's person—always!

Emily Hayes said:I wouldn't touch Natreen even if my life depended on it. 🙂

BUT WHY?!

Can someone actually explain the reasoning here—without just saying "that's what I heard"??

Wow, you guys really served up a "salad" of different topics here!
Anyway, fair enough.
Generally speaking, I’m looking for some ways to spice things up—I try to eat almost everything with very little salt or sugar (in any form, really). That’s why I’m asking... though, honestly, I don't think anyone is going to get hurt from a little white sugar if they use it sparingly...
I was just curious which of those three options is actually the best. I've heard people claim Natreen isn't healthy at all, but nobody ever actually explains *why*... everyone just repeats what they've heard!

coppergardener said:Everyone I know loses their mind over it—honestly, it’s like I’m offering them a gourmet steak when I suggest adding honey to their coffee, chicory, or lemonade!

Coffee and honey... definitely going to give that a shot!🙂

Steve thanks, briskjackal5 and bad little fear.🙂
I really wanted to pinpoint exactly where my diet was going off the rails—but after chatting with you all, I realized I didn't need a total overhaul, just a better way to organize everything I eat. Once I got things sorted, I actually stopped eating certain stuff entirely—not even on purpose, they just don't appeal to me anymore!
And honestly? I think I'm finally getting there—I feel so much better!
Of course, I still allow myself a tiny "cheat" every now and then—just enough to stay sane without hitting that crazy deficit stage where you end up binging because you're starving!! For example, I have one single square of chocolate every day (literally just one!) and in the last two or three months, I haven't even had a massive craving for it... I guess I'm getting enough nutrients consistently.
As for coffee, I haven't touched it in two months and I don't even miss it—I'm strictly a tea person now...😉

ruggedsailor11 said:Artificial sweeteners? Yeah, ditch them—they're honestly worse for you than plain old white sugar. Now, brown sugar can be a decent choice if it’s actually real brown sugar and not just bleached white sugar with some coloring tossed in. If you absolutely need a sweetener, stick with honey...👍

Thanks. And yeah, I’m already using honey.👍

quietpilot87 said:Stevia is definitely the way to go...

🙂 ...so what would that actually look like?

Which of these three is actually the healthiest option?
I’ve got a few drinks that I just can't stand without adding a tiny bit of sweetness—just a touch!—so I'm trying to figure out the best way to go.
I'm drinking about 5 or 6 cups of tea a day—lots of variety—but plain green, black, or rooibos? Yeah, those are basically undrinkable for me without a little help!

briskjackal5 said:Order? Yeah, right. Not gonna happen.

Every nutrient has its own specific job to do—and protein actually has ten different roles.
Using protein as an energy source is basically a backup plan—it happens, but it's super rare.

Are you gaining weight mostly from carbs? Probably—unless you're also slamming fats. In that case, it’s the fat, not the carbs, doing the heavy lifting. 😁

-briskjackal5

I cut way back on carbs (like, a lot!)—and whatever I do eat, I stick to the morning or maybe lunch if there's rice or potatoes involved. I only have whole wheat bread for a quick snack—maybe half a roll—and that's my entire bread intake for the day! It worked, too; I dropped 5 pounds in about 3 or 4 weeks. And now, I haven't seen the scale budge at all for 3 weeks...
In the mornings, I go for a thirty-minute walk, and in the evenings, I do some exercises (specifically for my back)...

briskjackal5 said:In the real world, you just can't pull that off perfectly, even if you try.

-briskjackal5

That sounds too good to be true!
So, what you're saying is that eating extra protein—even more than I actually need (and honestly, I have no clue what my daily target even is!)—won't make me gain weight!?
Are we really just getting soft from all that UG??! Like, are we just becoming a bunch of couch potatoes...?😕

I'm 32 years old and looking to launch my first LLC.
Does anyone know if there are any special perks for young entrepreneurs—like specific programs or grants—and where I should start looking?

Can I actually overdo it on the protein and end up gaining weight from it?

Where can I find the most protein—what kind of foods should I be looking at?

Trust me—these tips actually work... just listen to the experts! It’s been a total game-changer for me! Good luck!

So, I was reading the morning paper today—and apparently—that total daily water goal of eight glasses? It actually includes all the moisture you get from fruit, veggies, and other foods too...

Melissa James70 said:I used to fall for all those stories about needing liters upon liters of water just to stay alive. But honestly? I've changed my tune.
Don't get me wrong—I still think you should stick to water instead of soda or endless coffee—but I truly believe our bodies are smart enough to tell us when they need fluids. It’s about listening to your body, just like you do with food. You shouldn't have to mechanically chug bottles of Gatorade or ice water just because some trend told you to.

Drink when you're thirsty, eat when you're hungry, breathe. Simple as that. At least, that's how it works for me!😎

I'm right there with you!
I rarely feel thirsty, and when I do, I grab some water (no sodas for me, except maybe an occasional Gatorade).
Plus, I don't think my body is lacking hydration since I eat plenty of fruit, drink soups, milk, and tea... basically, until I actually feel thirsty, my system pulls what it needs from everything I consume. So, once that thirst hits, I just have a glass of water and call it a day. Between all that, I bet I'm hitting that 1.5 to 2 liter mark anyway—without forcing myself to chug water "because I have to."
I drink when I want to, eat when I want to, and sleep when I want to!
It's actually worse when you stress your system out just because someone wrote a rulebook saying it's "required"...😉

Aiming for about two liters of fluid a day is key—and hey, it doesn't all have to be plain old water.
Milk, soups, even fruit... they all count toward your total hydration.

I've heard it works wonders for the kidneys.
My dad actually had a doctor basically give him a "prescription" for one beer a day to help his kidney function after he finished chemo...

Come on, get it together. There’s just no sense—no reason at all—to be crashing like that!!