Simple substitutions equals 10 pounds/year

If you’ve ever kept a food diary logging every morsel you pop into your mouth every day, it can be jaw dropping.   

If you haven’t kept a log, give it a try. Get out your red pen, and on your food log, write down or circle the three foods that are highest in calories. Then think of strategies to reduce the calories from these foods. Can you eat less, substitute a lower fat/lower sugar version, or replace it with a lower calorie healthier version? By making a few small changes, you can lose weight – without going to the gym every night.  

If you cut 100 calories from your daily food intake, you could lose as much as 10 pounds in a year. Give it a try and see how you do. Below are a few suggestions to help you get started.  

Breakfast 

• Replace your morning glass of juice with reduced sugar juice or eat an orange. 

• Switch out 1 ounce of cooked pork bacon for 1 ounce of turkey bacon.  

• Trade ¼ cup of regular pancake syrup for ¼ cup of lite pancake syrup. 

• Try replacing 2 fluid ounces of flavored coffee creamer with 2 fluid ounces of fat free half-and-half. 

Lunch 

• Replace 1 cup of a cream-based soup with 1 cup of a broth-based soup. 

• Skip the cheese on your burger, sandwich or salad. 

• Choose carbonated fruit-flavored water instead of regular soda. 

• Trade a 6-ounce yogurt with fruit on the bottom for a 4-ounce light yogurt with fresh fruit. 

Dinner 

• Make your tacos with 3 ounces of grilled chicken breast instead of 3 ounces of ground beef. 

• Choose one slice of thin crust pizza, instead of a slice of pepperoni pan pizza. 

• Replace pork or beef sausage with either turkey or chicken sausage. 

• Replace 2 tablespoons of stick butter with 2 tablespoons of a reduced-calorie margarine spread. 

Snacks 

• Munch on five reduced fat vanilla wafers, instead of one big chocolate chip cookie. 

• Use ¼ cup fat free ranch dressing, instead of French onion dip. 

• Replace half of the oil in your favorite baking recipe with unsweetened applesauce. 

Now, that’s not so hard, is it? And you didn’t even work up a sweat.