For our European friends

[the_little_one]

Wow! This is really helpful. I started SB about 5 days ago but wasn't really following down to the letter because I didn't understand what some of the foods were. Even doing this I have lost nearly 6 pounds in the first 5 days! Hopefully I will be at my goal weight rather soon! xxxx

[SarahW]

This has helped me too! I'm a bit gutted to learn I won't be able to get any low fat riccota cheese though, was gonna hunt for some today!

Am I right to think that low fat fromage frais is an ok substitute??

[manzanita]

Ummm.... I think it would be. It's also referred to as Quark, so if Quark is allowed, I can't see why not fromage frais. Given it's a cheese (according to Delia Smith) it won't be part of your dairy allowance, but your cheese allowance. Whatever that is... it escapes me right now.

[SarahW]

I've never heard of quark!! Just looking it up on the net and it seems I can defo get it from Sainsburys but I don't shop there, it's too expensive! I'll have a look for it in Asda. I'm determined to try the desserts recommended in the book for phase 1!

[maltaguy]

if you guys need any further help, I'm from Malta and I have been doing SB for quite a while now, so I know all the tricks and substitutions which you can use instead of certain ingredients which are only available in the US.

Just let me know if you have any questions!

[London_Girl]

Hey maltaguy, thanks for offering your help! I live in the UK and am still not really sure how many grams equal 2.5 cups of veggies? I know that there is a rough conversion saying 1c = 250 g, but isn't cup a volume measurement, while grams measure weight? Hence 1c of water is different to 1c of lettuce converted into grams, right?

I'm confused....

[maltaguy]

hey London_Girl .. that's a good question! Read up the following article for more information http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_grams_are_in_a_cup

One fast solution would be to buy these cups, they are really cheap and you can find them in any department store. I bought mine for like 4 euros. Also you will notice that as you progress along in SB .. you will not need these measurements because you will learn to automatically adjust your portion.

A quick rule of the thumb which I use for lunches/dinners is ... 3/4 of the plate has to be veggies. It's kinda like a swap ... the meat is no longer the main entree and the veggies are no longer the side .. but the opposite. Protein should be the size of a deck of cards .... however sometimes I do have more than that, I'm a guy and from past experience I know that if I up my lean protein intake I would still lose weight and eat healthy. It's all about discovering what works for you and you'll get the hang of it in no time, trust me!

An easy way to get in your veggies in the morning is to chop up an onion and fry it (with spray) then add it with scrambled eggs. I know for a fact that I cannot eat broccoli as breakfast for instance (although i love it for dinner). If PAM spray is not available (although I would assume it is, since it's also available in Malta), there's a variety of sprays which you can use, such as Pure and Simple.

Hope this helped!

[London_Girl]

Thanks Malta guy, I guess I'm gonna buy one of those cups then just to get a feeling.

[maltaguy]

You're welcome London Girl

[Magna]

If it helps, a rule of thumb is that a cup is just slightly less than 1/4 liter.

[maltaguy]

I was looking at different kinds of bacon while I was shopping yesterday ... and the closest thing to Canadian Bacon is Collar Bacon. Out of the three types which are widely available across Europe (streaky, back, collar) .. collar is the one with less fat in it. It will also help if you trim any excess fat with a kitchen scissors to make it leaner. I also like to rinse the bacon under running water, then pat dry it with some kitchen paper .. it seems to make it less salty as well.

Or else, Gammon is a good substitute. It can be cooked in a skillet with some spray and it will crisp up like bacon .. and with fewer calories and fat.

[ep231]

Finally! I know what a "cup" is!! Excellent thread- though to make matters more confusing I'm a Brit living in Munich, Germany.. So if anyone
happens to have any good tips on what to buy out here I'd be most grateful to know!

ps. quite jealous of this American fudgsickl biz, in Phase 1 and think they sound great!

[maltaguy]

Wilkommen ep231!

Yeah I really envy those fudgesickles

[john uk]

Dunno but could anyone knock up a Stage 1 shopping list, for The Wife

[maltaguy]

Cheese :

Low fat cheddar
Cottage Cheese and Mozzarella (Galbani or Fiorucci would do) - there's a light version of the Galbani Mozzarella
Light Laughing Cow Wedges

Protein :

Red Kidney beans
Chicken Breasts
Lean pork steaks
Fish, swordfish, salmon, cod ecc

Veggies

Bell Peppers, aubergines, onions, mushrooms, green beans, mange tout (snow peas), zucchini, garlic, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers (whatever you guys like!)

Dairy

Eggs
Light yogurts

Nuts (preferably unsalted)

Walnuts
Cashews