Let’s face it, we love to eat! There is no reason why we still can’t enjoy meals and still feel satisfied and full from delicious food choices that make sense.
The fact of the matter is, all foods have a different net worth. For example, in caloric terms, one gram of fat is worth a lot more calories than one gram of protein. Learning how to swap food and condiment choices for lower-caloric options can help you shave extra weight off your hips and thighs, while still being able to feel full.
Here are a few of many calorie-cutting food swaps, very familiar to fitness models, that will limit unnecessary caloric consumption:
- Fresh Steamed Spinach Leaves, Zucchini or Spaghetti Squash instead of Pasta
- Canned Crushed Tomatoes with Basil instead of the sugar-loaded Marinara Sauce found in a jar
- Flavored Vinegars mixed with Dijon Mustard and Lemon instead of High-Fat Salad Dressings
- Rice Cakes instead of Bread
- Baked Tilapia instead of Salmon
- Stevia, Cinnamon and Vanilla extract instead of Sugar
- No sugar added Almond Milk instead of Soy or Rice Milk
- Olive Oil spray in place of heaping tablespoons of Olive Oil dumped in pans
- Baked Butternut Squash instead of Potatoes
- Zero Fat, No-Sugar added Greek Yogurt in place of Sour Cream, Cheese, Heavy Cream or Buttermilk
- All Natural Salsa instead of Guacamole
- Gluten Free Soy Sauce or Chicken Broth instead of Olive Oil
- Low Carb, sugar-free Protein Powder Recipes instead of High Calorie Desserts
When choosing foods in order to successfully lower your overall caloric intake, always remember these simple stats:
- 1 gram of protein= 4 calories
- 1 gram of carbohydrates= 4 calories
- 1 gram of fat=9 calories
