Shauk, here are the drawbacks of each of your food choices:
Your veggie sub, though a good start, is out of balance. It is too low in complete proteins. Try adding either turkey or chicken. The stores around Toronto have been carrying veggie patties, which I think have beans in them. Not sure. But here is the profile of a 6" "veggie-max" according to CalorieKing.com: Cal. 390/8g fat/24g protein.
Your bean and rice burrito, though I'm sure was delicious, has this going on:
- Creamy jalapeno sauce
- Nacho cheese sauce
- Three-cheese blend
Three strikes, you're out. Try choosing something more healthful, such as the "fresco" bean burrito (330 cal./7g fat/12g protein) or the "fresco" spicy chicken soft taco (180 cal./6g fat/10g protein). You could even eat two of the soft tacos and still come out ahead of that bean burrito you ate.
There are various reasons to stay away from diet sodas. Personally, I do so for two reasons: I hate the taste of aspartame, and I don't like ingesting those kinds of chemicals if I can avoid it. Stick to natural foods and beverages as much as you can, you will be better off in the long run. Sodas of any kind lack the
good chemicals, such as those found in coffee and tea.
All kinds of research has shown that both coffee and tea are loaded with antioxidants, and tea especially is a promising beverage that may help fight cancer and heart disease. What's more, is that green tea has been found to help metabolism due to the abundance of a chemical called epigallocatechingallate (EGCG), as has caffeine in general. EGCG is a catechin, which is found in all tea, but green tea in particular is especially rich in EGCG, the most powerful kind. The net effect of green tea is small, but it is one of many things you can do to give you an advantage over fat burning.
EDIT: If you have a sweet tooth and can beat it, acquiring a taste for green tea is a wonderful thing. It is one of my favourite beverages. It has a wonderful flavour that you really look forward to when you enjoy it often enough. It is meant to be drank without any additives; its flavour is that subtle and delicate. I drink it at work, at least once or twice a day, after my morning coffee. Tea can be really cheap, too, especially when compared to soda. If you buy it in the right amount, it can be as cheap as CDN$0.12 a cup.