Utopian Rope Sandals Anyone?

I've always loved sunflowers but appreciate them even
more now that I know their seeds are a healthy fat option.

It has been 34 days since I started the Flat Belly Diet. The first four days involved the Anti-Bloat Jumpstart program, which meant eating 1200 calories a day. Since then I have been on the 28-Day Eating Plan. Calories have increased to 1600 and menus are now more varied.

I can safely say that my pantry is now stocked with nearly every good fat and vinegar variety out there, bar one. I'm still looking for high-oleic safflower oil. The diet has taught me a lot about a healthier approach to eating. That's a definite benefit.

It's been well worth the extra effort and expense. I am down nearly nine pounds. And he best thing is I don't feel as if I'm being punished on this diet. There's enough variety and flexibility built in to let me go about my day without being consumed by thoughts of food and eating. I do make a point to pack healthy snacks when away from home though. I base them on menus from the Flat belly Pocket Guide. One of my favorites is an apple, 2 tablespoons of almond butter and 6 small wheat crackers. Lana meal replacement bars are also a must.

Grocery shopping is time consuming, especially when looking for those not-so-familiar items. During yesterday's trip to the market, I had a couple to contend with. One was tahini, a butter made from roasted sesame seeds. I should have known that it was in the Organic and Natural Food section of the store, which is exactly where it was.

What I found most interesting about the tahini was the information on the back of its label: "East Wind Nut Butters are made by a worker-owned cooperative in the lovely Ozark hills of rural southern Missouri. As equal partners in our business we take pride in producing quality products at the most reasonable price. We also make Utopian Rope Sandals."