The quest for diet success can lead people to some pretty strange choices. Chances are you’ve tried some of them — like cabbage soup, loads of grapefruit or a daily swig of vinegar. But making smart substitutions for certain foods can be a simpler, more effective strategy for good health. Unlike cabbage soup, these are food choices you can live with. And finding healthful substitutes for foods that are high in fat and calories will pay off in slow, steady weight loss.
Better Snacks
Even if you’re on your best behavior at the table, you can sabotage yourself with fattening snacks between meals. Celery sticks might never have the same appeal as a candy bar, but better snacking choices can help you cut calories, fat, salt and cholesterol. Learn to satisfy your sweet tooth with fruits in season, such as apples, grapes, cherries, oranges or tangerines and melon chunks. Or enjoy some low-fat or nonfat yogurt. For a crunchy snack, reach for baby carrots or cauliflower florets instead of chips. Try salsa or a low-fat ranch dip with veggies. And if you do indulge in a candy bar, substitute a miniature one and save hundreds of calories.
Mealtime Choices
Instead of skin-on chicken, substitute skinless to cut fat and calories. The American Diabetes Association suggests some other substitutions that can help you trim 100 calories from your daily diet — and lose 10 pounds in a year. Examples: Instead of regular bacon, use turkey bacon. Skip the butter you were going to cook with and spray the pan with cooking spray instead. Omit the cheese from your sandwich or burger. Substitute a 3- or 4-ounce serving of meat — about the size of a deck of cards — for the more generous portion you usually have. Substitute marinara sauce for a cream-based sauce on your pasta. Instead of a large order of fries, have the small size.
Fast-Food Options
Even at a fast-food restaurant, you can substitute more healthful choices and have a meal that’s more nutritious. Here are some tips from the American Heart Association. A grilled chicken sandwich is a better, leaner choice than a burger or chicken that’s breaded and fried. Trade fries for a baked potato, but don’t ruin it with butter or full-fat cheese and sour cream. A salad or fruit cup is a better side dish than anything fried. Have plenty of lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and onions on your burger, but don’t add bacon. And substitute a single-meat sandwich for one with double meat.
Drinking Calories?
The calories in sugary soft drinks and specialty coffees may slide down smoothly — but they are just as fattening as calories in food. Substitute diet sodas, coffee with low-fat milk and diet sweetener and good old zero-calorie water. Swap out that second glass of wine for tonic or club soda with a slice of lime and cut at least 100 calories. And substitute nonfat or low-fat milk for full-fat milk and you’ll get the same protein, calcium and vitamins with fewer calories.
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