Last week we revisited Mike Furci’s list of foods you should avoid and asked you to compare it to what you actually eat. This week we’re emphasizing the positive with Mike’s list of authorized foods.

You’ll see that he breaks it down by proteins, carbohydrates and vegetables. You’ll also notice that there’s plenty of delicious food for you to eat. You don’t have to sacrifice taste or enjoying food in order to eat healthy.

Now that you have both lists, the basic idea is to reduce and replace. Reduce your consumption of the banned foods, and then replace it with something you like on the approved foods list. For example, if you’re eating sugary cereal each morning, replace it with oatmeal or fruit. If you like pasta, trying replacing some of it with whole grain pastas. The key is taking an honest look at your diet and then replacing bad foods with better options.

Last week we addressed the dangers posed by sugar consumption, which is a topic that Mike Furci has addressed on this site for years. There’s no way to have a “low-fat diet” if you’re also loading up with sugar and carbs.

With that in mind, this is a good time to revisit Mike’s list of banned foods – basically foods you should be avoiding or at least eating less of in your diet. Review the list and print it out, and then over the next week eat as you normally do and write down everything you eat. Then compare it to this list and you’ll see that you probably need some adjustments to your diet.

This is the first step in altering your eating habits by identifying foods you need to replace. Remember, it’s not about counting calories. What you eat is far more important.