Learning how to cut calories without flavor is a key step in any weight loss journey. Losing weight and keeping it off is all about finding a sustainable, healthy diet for you. Healthy food and drink swaps—switching something higher in calories and/or fat for something lower in both—can be one way to accomplish this goal.
Of course, we know not all healthy swaps are created equal. Some swaps are, well, kinda sad (a leaf of lettuce does not replace a soft taco tortilla). Below are some ways to swap smartly to reduce your calorie load without sacrificing taste:
When You Need to Ditch Drinking Your Calories
- Swap soda for sparkling water. If you’re still looking for a sweet fizzy treat that won’t break the bank, consider probiotic soda alternatives—many have 5g of sugar or less!
- A premade protein shake can make for an excellent coffee creamer substitute. Not only will you cut some fat and calories, but you’ll also get an extra boost of protein in the morning alongside your caffeine.
- Alcohols have plenty of empty calories, so whip up some mocktail options for your next get-together instead.
When You Need to Water Down (Calories, Not Flavor)
- Swap creamy dressings for oil-based ones instead. Better yet, make your own simple dressings at home with some olive oil, vinegar (or other acidic liquid, like lemon juice), and your favorite seasonings!
- Creamy soups—bisques, chowders, anything with “cream of” at the beginning of its name—are heavy on calories and likely lower in nutritional value. Become a broth person instead. You’ll cut calories and fat while boosting hydration. Brothy soups, vegetarian or not, can be easy ways to increase the veggies you eat and even allow you to try new ones.
When You Need Protein But Less Fat
- Swap fatty meat items with lower-fat options. For example, ground turkey or chicken works as a lower-fat alternative to ground beef in recipes. Plant-based sausage, chorizo, and bacon can help satisfy that carnivorous urge without the extra saturated fat and calories.
- Greek yogurt can be swapped for other thick, tangy creams. Substitute it for mayonnaise in dips and tuna/chicken/egg salads, or put a dollop of it on chilis or soups.
When You Need Your Carbs to Have Fewer Carbs
- Swap white rice for cauliflower or broccoli rice. You can make these yourself at home, but they’re often available premade in the frozen aisle at the grocery store. (If you can’t quit real rice, consider switching to brown rice.)
- Swap enriched white pasta for whole wheat or a gluten-free plant-protein pasta alternative, such as chickpea, lentil, or quinoa pasta. They make for simple calorie-cutting pasta substitutes; just be sure to follow the cooking instructions, as they may differ from traditional pasta.
- For catching up on your favorite television shows, swap the bag of potato chips for some air-popped popcorn. It’s lower in calories, fat, and sodium. (Plus, popcorn has fiber, which we love.) Even salty-sweet kettle corn can still have a relatively low calorie count per serving size.
- Swap granulated sugar for stevia or monk fruit powders instead for sugar-free sweetness.
Strategic healthy food swaps can be a key tool in finding a way to realistically reduce the amount of calories, fat, or sugar in your diet. If you’re mostly just trying to cut calories, a still-sustainable alternative to diet swaps is to reduce your portion sizes. Both are great ways to become more mindful of all the foods going into your body—another important skill development along your weight loss journey!
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