Swapping extra vegetables for part of your main course is usually an excellent strategy for losing weight because it typically means you consume fewer calories overall. But whether you lose weight and how many pounds you can expect to lose depends on the calorie count of your main course, the type of vegetables you eat and the way those veggies are prepared.
Calories
Weight loss comes down to expending more calories than you consume; the greater the difference between calories eaten and calories burned, the greater the weight loss. So swapping a mere two bites of your main course for two bites of vegetables probably won't save you very many calories. But if you cut your main dish in half and fill up on vegetables, you could eliminate significant calories from your daily diet.
Main Course
The more calories your usual main dish contains, the more you stand to lose by replacing some of it with low-calorie vegetables. So a person who usually fills up on a thick cheeseburger or a gravy-topped steak probably will lose more weight by swapping in vegetables than someone who eats a baked chicken breast or grilled fish. Concentrate on cutting back on more of the main course and swapping in more vegetables at your higher-calorie meals.
Vegetables
While all vegetables offer health benefits, focusing on lower-calorie vegetables can help you lose more weight. To keep you feeling full and satisfied when you cut back on your main course, choose high-fiber, low-calorie vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts and artichokes rather than starchy veggies like potatoes. You don't need to exclude any vegetables from your diet entirely, but choosing lower-calorie vegetables will reduce your overall calorie intake.
Preparation
To keep your vegetables low-calorie and diet-friendly, pay attention to the way you prepare and eat them. Many dieters sabotage their weight-loss efforts by cooking their vegetables with heavy or high-calorie ingredients like butter, oil, cheese and creamy sauces. Instead, try steaming your vegetables or using a light spray of oil to sauté or bake them. Don't top them with cheese or cream-based sauces and salad dressings. Experiment with spices and herbs to add flavor without adding calories.
Considerations
Many people find that cutting their usual dinner in half leaves them feeling unsatisfied with the meal, even if the additional vegetables they eat are enough to fill their stomachs. Instead of eating half the dinner you usually eat, cut your main dish down by a third or a quarter at both dinner and lunch to make the dietary change feel less drastic. Another strategy is to eat vegetables before eating the main course; if you finish your salad first, you won't feel as hungry when you cut into your steak.
Member Comments