If you would love to lose weight, zap that belly fat, and improve your health, stay in shape but feel less than enthusiastic about dieting or cannot deal with the the rigorous mind racking process of finding what healthy food to eat next, this article is for you.
We have put together a number of easy swaps you can make throughout the week that will save you hundreds and thousands of calories, cut your sugar levels (this is important), improve your physical, emotional and mental health and whip you up in shape in absolutely no time!
These easy,
delicious swaps will help you stay on track at breakfast, lunch, and dinner—and
during snack and dessert time, too! Not only will you painlessly save tons of
calories and see a difference on the scale, you'll be taking in more nutrients
every time you dine, too. And if you're looking for even more easy ways to trim
down and reach your goals without giving up your favorite grub, keep reading!
1) Swap sugary
drinks for sugar-free options, low-fat milk or water -You’d be surprised by how much sugar
you could cut from you and your family’s diet by simply swapping sugary drinks
for sugar-free versions, water or low-fat milk. In fact, you could save
up to three quarters of a 1 kg bag of sugar per household! And that is a super
plus!
2) Swap sugary
cereal for plain cereal/Sugar free granola - It’s important to eat a healthy breakfast to ensure you have enough
energy to get through to lunchtime without reaching for unhealthy snacks. If
cereal is your breakfast of choice, try swapping from sugary cereals to plain
cereals or sugar free granola, for example, whole wheat cereal biscuits or
plain shredded whole grain. In doing so, you could reduce your intake by 83
sugar cubes a month. You could also have grilled chicken/tuna/egg sandwiches
for breakfast instead of a bowl of cereal. (Less is more).
3) Swap whole milk
for skimmed milk - By making the simple swap from whole
milk to skimmed milk, you could save up to a third of a pint of fat per family
over four weeks. If you’re already drinking semi-skimmed, why not try swapping
to skimmed or 1% fat milk, this could still save over half a small wine glass
(125ml) of fat. ( You could try Dano skimmed milk for a start)
4) Choosing healthier snacks - It’s always tempting to reach for a bag of crisps, or a bar or chocolate when cravings hit between meals. We all probably eat unhealthy snacks more than we realize and they’re often full of high levels of fat, sugar and salt. But there are other quick and easy snacks that could act as a sufficient replacement. If you have a sweet tooth, try a low-fat or Greek yogurt topped with raisins, Chai seeds, Flax seeds or Fresh fruits. Granolas, or a small handful of cashew nuts could also act as a good substitute for the less healthy savory snacks. Remember, if you don’t have unhealthy snacks in the house, you won’t be able to eat them!
4) Choosing healthier snacks - It’s always tempting to reach for a bag of crisps, or a bar or chocolate when cravings hit between meals. We all probably eat unhealthy snacks more than we realize and they’re often full of high levels of fat, sugar and salt. But there are other quick and easy snacks that could act as a sufficient replacement. If you have a sweet tooth, try a low-fat or Greek yogurt topped with raisins, Chai seeds, Flax seeds or Fresh fruits. Granolas, or a small handful of cashew nuts could also act as a good substitute for the less healthy savory snacks. Remember, if you don’t have unhealthy snacks in the house, you won’t be able to eat them!
5) Get active -
If you’re eating a healthy and balanced diet, you’re half way there, but building
activity you’re your daily routine is important too. Daily activity keeps your
heart healthy, reduces your risk of serious illness and strengthens muscles and
bones. Many people can be overwhelmed by the thought of exercise, but it
needn’t be a burden on your daily life. By making simple swaps to your current
daily routine, like walking to work or doing the school run by foot, you’ll
soon notice the difference in your fitness levels. You could sign up for our
fitness boot camp, engage in our special aerobics classes or join in our daily
exercise routines guaranteed to keep you in the fit zone.
6) Choose Basmati
Brown Rice/Bulgur Wheat - Your regular white rice also doesn't contain as many nutrients as brown
rice or bulgur wheat, which is packed in fiber, magnesium and vitamins! Also
try substituting your regular spaghetti with whole wheat spaghetti and you get
the full nutrient package. This also works wonders for people who are diabetic.
You’d be stabilizing those sugar levels in no time!
7) Bake Healthy –
Loving those small chops? You can bake with Coconut flour, Almond Flour, Tiger nut
Flour, Sweet Potato Flour and even Acha /Fonio Flour. (I had no idea stuff like
these existed) but they do! And you can substitute regular flour for these and
stay healthy all the way! Don’t forget to use healthy oils, as your regular
oils could replace the same amount of calories you were trying to cut, so stick
to Almond oils, Coconut oils, Mustard Seed oils or Olive oils. They are indeed
important in keeping your body fit and healthy, fighting off diseases and of
course helping you maintain a healthy life.
8) Swap your regular swallow food for low fat/less sugary ones - 100g of semolina or semovita gives about 360 calories (shocking huh). Not so surprising though is that fiber and a lot of vitamins and other micro nutrients which are important for good health are lost during processing, therefore the end product, which you can find in most stores, is usually fortified with proteins and vitamins but little or no fiber which is really important). You can, however swap these guys for Coconut Swallow, Tiger nut Swallow, Unripe plantain Swallow or Oat swallow.
9) Swap your salt -
To help reduce the amount of salt you consume on a daily basis, try swapping
salt for herbs and spices to add flavor to your dish instead. Or if you like
your dishes a little spicy, opt for ginger, basil, coriander or curry powder,
which are great for those who want to add a bit of heat
10) Eat hard-boiled eggs instead of fried eggs - Who needs extra grease in the morning? Drop some eggs in boiling water, and cook them up for a protein-packed breakfast. Also, next time you’re doing your regular grocery shopping, opt for the reduced-fat cheese.You could try having Avocado or Mozzarella Cheese instead when next you are whipping up your favorite dish,I promise you won’t taste the difference.
10) Eat hard-boiled eggs instead of fried eggs - Who needs extra grease in the morning? Drop some eggs in boiling water, and cook them up for a protein-packed breakfast. Also, next time you’re doing your regular grocery shopping, opt for the reduced-fat cheese.You could try having Avocado or Mozzarella Cheese instead when next you are whipping up your favorite dish,I promise you won’t taste the difference.
TIP – You can get all of these healthy swaps at Eat to Live Lifestyle Cafe
and Store for affordable prices! You can also get customized meal plans and
packages that could span months and even a year! Your Breakfast, Lunch and
Dinner all planned the healthy way!
Are you
ready? Start Swapping!
