This or That? Making food swaps can be simple and is a great tool to help reduce calories and manage weight. Your food swap choices will be determined by your nutrition goals and food preferences. Over the years of consulting clients, I’ve noticed a trend. To lose weight, people will follow restrictive diets, consume bland food, and sometimes even cut out entire food groups.1 No wonder so many fail to reach their goals and create a healthier lifestyle. Food should be exciting, fun, creative, and colorful! Nutrition for overall health is important and restricting food groups may lead to malnutrition.
To manage your weight, you do not have to follow strict food diets. Instead, I challenge you to reflect on your eating habits and mindset towards food. How can you be creative in the kitchen and make your eating experience an enjoyable one? Remember, make this about YOU! There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition. Experiment with flavors, textures, spices, and more.
If you find yourself bored, hungry, or even developing health issues, it may be time for a food evaluation. Here are a few nutrition tips and food swaps to provide inspiration on reducing calories and making healthier substitutions if needed. Enjoy and be creative with the process!
12 NUTRITION & LIFESTYLE TIPS:
- Smaller portions
- More nutrient-dense, lower calories foods… aka whole food sources
- Consume a variety of foods, the more colorful your plate, the better!
- Add vegetables to every meal.
- Cooking method – grill or bake your dishes over fried.
- Check the nutrition label of food products for added sugar, saturated fat, and total calories.
- Replace saturated fats with mono- or poly-unsaturated fats.
- Foods with soluble fiber help reduce cholesterol, the risk for heart disease, and improve weight management.1
- Watch the condiments.
- Refrain from defining foods as “good” or “bad” all may be incorporated in moderation.
- Add 15-20 minutes of exercise, three times per week for an extra calorie burn.
- ENJOY YOUR FOOD!
THIS OR THAT?
| Fresh Fruit | Fruit Juice |
| Fish or “Pulses” | Red Meat |
| Water / Sparkling | Soda |
| Corn Tortilla | Flour Tortilla |
| Black coffee w/ 2% Milk | Vanilla Latte |
| Chickpeas | Croutons |
| Mustard or Mashed Avocado | Mayonnaise |
| Greek Yogurt | Sour Cream |
| Olive Oil Spray (for cooking) | 1 Tbsp Olive Oil |
| Vinaigrette | Creamy Salad Dressing |
| Whole Fresh Fruit | Dried Fruit |
| Oatmeal | Granola |
| Sprouted Whole Grain | White Bread |
| Whole Wheat Pasta | White Pasta |
| Zucchini Noodles | Whole Wheat Pasta |
- Young L. 11 Healthy Food Swaps to Lose Weight. U.S. News. https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/slideshows/11-healthy-food-swaps-to-lose-weight. Published 2021. Accessed March 19, 2021.
- Chatzky J. 40 Effortless Food Swaps to Lose Weight | Eat This Not That. Eat This Not That. https://www.eatthis.com/food-swaps-cut-calories/. Published 2021. Accessed March 19, 2021.