It is my personal experience that if you are really depriving yourself, you are not going to stick to any diet or new habits. I'm not a fan of the word "diet" period. Through the years this word has been morphed from its intended meaning (the kinds of food that a person or animal regularly eats) to any kind of restrictions that we place on ourselves to lose weight.
So as a result, I am a huge fan of eating what you want - within reason and finding ways to make healthier substitutions or portion control to regulate your intake. You are more likely to stick with small consistent changes to your daily routine than a wide reaching restriction. That being said, here is a big list of examples to get you started:
For breakfast:
2 large whole eggs
an "Everything" bagel
2 TBS of cream cheese
(512 calories)
Instead make:
3 egg whites
Thomas's "Everything" bagel thin
1 TBS Philly 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese (200 calories!!!)
Just this simple substitution and you are down 312 calories after your first meal and you've got a great start to your day. Healthy protein will help you to feel full longer!
Starbucks:
"Skip the Whip" - skipping the whipped cream on most drinks will save you about 90 calories right off the bat.
Asking for Skim Milk instead of 2% for a Venti drink will save you ANOTHER 100 calories
OR
Why not downsize and get a tall
Venti White Chocolate Mocha with Whip - 580
Tall Nonfat No Whip White Chocolate Mocha - 258 calories
If you still need that extra caffeine kick, making that tall a double will drop an additional 5 calories.
Skip the pastry. Most Starbucks pastries weigh in at between 400 and 500 calories and are very high in fat. This simple skip and a coffee substitution could save you 800 calories! Pick up your coffee at the drive through instead of inside and make it a little easier to pass up those yummy treats. If you must indulge, try the petite vanilla bean scone (about 140 calories) or the other new petite treats which are about 200 calories.
Soda:
If coffee is not your thing but soda is your weakness... a substitute is definitely in order. Kicking your 3 a day soda habit will reduce your intake by over 500 calories a day. I completely understand that drinking water instead is not a big party, so if you must drink soda, I believe that diet drinks are an acceptable temporary substitute to get you over the soda addiction. Try to use Splenda sweetened drinks instead. They have a sweeter taste and the flavoring is more natural than aspartame.
Meat:
This is another place to make an easy substitute without really sacrificing. For deli meat, there are plenty of low fat substitutes (turkey and ham are easiest to find).
Ground beef is an easy switch. The lower the fat percentage, the lower the calories and you don't have to give up on taste.
70/30 - 372 calories
85/15 - 240 calories
So for a quarter pound burger, that is an easy 130 calories. Skip the cheese or mayo and save another 100 calories each. Make all 3 changes and you are almost at your 500 calorie savings goal.
Ground turkey is also a great substitute (only 170 calories for 4 oz)
Here are some general tips:
Eat slower and listen to your body. Eat until you are satisfied instead of finishing that entire plate. At 3 meals a day, you can easily save hundreds of calories. This has been one of the most significant changes that has brought me results. You are an adult and you are no longer have to finish everything on your plate. I occasionally feel guilty for being wasteful, especially at restaurants, but I remember that I am paying for the experience and the meal, not the 1500 calorie plate of food. :) If you absolutely cannot leave that extra food... get a box and become a big a fan of leftovers! And speaking of plates...
Size Matters - Swap your 12-inch plate for a 10-inch one. You’ll eat 20 to 25% less—and save up to 500 calories. Researchers say that you won't feel any less full.
I have many many more tips, but I am going to have to continue this at another time. Tomorrow, I'm going to focus on movement to BURN those 500 calories, and I will revisit food substitutions many many times.
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