A common misconception is that you’ve got to give up all the foods you love when you’re trying to lose weight. It’s easy to see where this has come from: it probably doesn’t seem possible that you can still enjoy your favorite candy and still lose weight, for example.
The best way to lose weight and not completely lose your mind while doing so is to keep a little of what you love, using simple swaps to cut calories and make things healthier. Here’s how you can do that in the kitchen, so you don’t have to give up your favorite dishes.
Swap refined grains for whole grains
Replace white flour with whole wheat flour, white rice with brown rice, and white bread with whole grain bread. Whole grains are rich in fiber, which helps to keep you fuller for longer.
Make it veggie
An easy way to increase the number of vegetables you eat is to make your recipe vegetarian or vegan. Take your usual chili and swap the ground beef for red (AKA chili or kidney) beans or black beans (AKA turtle beans or frijoles negros), or bulk up your favorite recipe by adding chopped zucchini, peppers or eggplant. Vegetables are low in calories, so you’ll be boosting the volume of your meal (good for feeling fuller) without adding unnecessary extra calories.
Use healthier fats
When cooking, replace canola oil, corn oil, and soybean oil with healthier options like olive oil, avocado oil or sesame oil. These oils are better for you because they contain monounsaturated fatty acids, which can help to increase levels of ‘good’ cholesterol (HDL) and lower ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL) levels.
Oil is high in calories, so be sure to measure how much you’re using. For example, 1 tbsp of olive oil is 119 calories, so don’t pour freely from the bottle! Get a set of cheap measuring spoons so you know exactly how much you’re using.
To further cut calories, consider using spray oil like PAM cooking spray. You can get different varieties of spray oil, so look for olive or avocado spray oil options. PAM olive oil cooking spray states that one ¼ second spray is 0 calories, and although we think that’s food labelling trickery (zero calories?!), it’s true that a short spray of oil is going to very drastically cut down on calories.
Choose lean proteins
Lean proteins like chicken, turkey, and fish, are lower in fat and calories than red meat like beef, pork, and lamb. Try switching ground beef for ground turkey or chicken when making burgers, and switch steak tacos for pulled chicken, ground turkey, or even shrimp.
Beans, lentils, tofu, and eggs are also examples of lean protein. Try swapping red and processed meats when making things like chili, spaghetti dishes, and stir-fries.
