21 Instant Diet Substitutions

Often one big mistake people will make as they go about their fat loss diet program is getting into the mindset that they’re going to have to make some serious changes in order to see results.  They’ll often believe that if they want to see the success they’re dreaming of, it’s going to be one big lifestyle overhaul for them.  Essentially, everything has to change.

Sadly though, this thought process is incorrect and sometimes this can even keep people from even getting started with a weight loss program in general.

The fact of the matter is that often all it takes is a few simple diet substitutions that are easy and quick to make that will get you headed on the right path again.

Don’t think of a diet as something that you have to ‘endure’. Rather, think of it as a few lifestyle alterations that will get you on the path to the slimmer body you’re hoping for.

If you view it in this light, you’ll approach it with a much more positive frame of mind and because of that, see greatly enhanced results.

Let’s take a quick look right now at 21 instant diet substitutions that you can put to use immediately.  If you can add even ten of these into your lifestyle, you’ll definitely notice a change in your progress.

Diet Substitution #1: Swap Chicken Broth For Butter

The first easy diet swap to make that will actually add more flavor is to use chicken broth whenever you’re making your mashed potatoes rather than butter.  Chicken broth contains hardly any calories at all and will still allow you to mash up the potatoes to perfection.

Other great places to use chicken broth in your diet include with stir-fries as well as when looking for a lower calorie way to prepare a sauce.

Diet Substitution #2: Swap Sour Cream For Salsa

Next, rather than serving your baked potatoes up with sour cream, opt for salsa instead.  Salsa is fat free and contains numerous antioxidants so will quickly improve the nutritional content of your diet plan.

Salsa works great on potatoes, mixed with a little cottage cheese for a vegetable dip, or even served up on your primary protein source rather than some other calorie-dense sauces or condiments.

Diet Substitution #3: Swap Oatmeal For Cold Cereal

If you’re sitting down to a bowl of cold cereal in the morning, consider substituting with oatmeal instead.  Oatmeal is much higher in total fiber content and will easily satisfy you throughout the morning.

Just be sure that you don’t purchase the pre-sweetened varieties of oatmeal as these have some added sugars already put in.

Instead, look for low-calorie ways to boost the flavor of cooked oatmeal yourself such as mixing in some cinnamon and your favorite sweetener or drizzling with some sugar free maple syrup.

Some people also like stiring in their favorite flavor of protein powder if you don’t have time to prepare a side dish of protein and want to make that bowl of oatmeal a more balanced meal.

Diet Substitution #4: Swap Cottage Cheese For Yogurt

If you typically turn to yogurt as a quick snack on the go, consider using cottage cheese instead.  Cottage cheese is much higher in protein content and will be better from a fat loss point of view. If you have to, mix half cottage cheese with half yogurt if you can’t eat cottage cheese straight on its own.

Diet Substitution #5: Swap Egg Whites For Whole Eggs

Eggs are a great source of protein and a good way to start your day but unfortunately, they are quite high in calories for a fat loss diet plan.  To help overcome this, consider trading in a few of your whole eggs for whites instead.

You can usually have one full egg per day assuming you have no current health issues, but after that, keep it to whites only.  They are fat free and contain a huge dose of protein. At only 16 calories per white, they can also easily fit into any diet plan.

Diet Substitution #6: Swap Applesauce for Oil

Another important diet substitution to make if you’re heavy into baking is swapping out oil and putting applesauce in its place.  Applesauce is far lower in total calories and contains no fat at all.  For best results with this one opt for unsweetened applesauce to keep the calorie count down.

Diet Substitution #7: Swap Spaghetti Squash For Pasta

On a low carb diet but craving pasta? Spaghetti squash is your perfect solution.  This vegetable looks very similar to pasta and even tastes quite like it as well but contains just a fraction of the carbs and calories.

For anyone who is trying to stick with their diet it can really save the day.

Diet Substitution #8: Swap Sweet Potatoes For Russet Potatoes

If you do have a meal approaching where you are to consume some complex carbohydrates, look towards sweet potatoes rather than russet.  While regular potatoes are fat free, they do tend to increase the blood sugar levels quite quickly.

Sweet potatoes don’t have quite the same effect and are also higher in fiber and contain more nutrients as well.  Be sure not to overlook them.

Diet Substitution #9: Swap Cream For Milk

If you’re a regular coffee drinker and regularly serve up some cream in that coffee, it’s time to switch to milk instead.  This alone can save you over a hundred calories per day and quickly get you on the track to faster weight loss success.

Diet Substitution #10: Swap White Rice For Quinoa

Moving along, while rice is a wholesome grain, especially if you choose brown rather than white, if you currently are eating white, an even better option is to go for some quinoa instead.  Quinoa is rich in fiber and is a complete source of protein so will be perfect for vegetarians struggling to get in enough.

Diet Substitution #11: Swap Chips For Popcorn

Got a late-night snack craving?  If so, rather than diving into a bag of chips and really upping your overall calorie intake, consider some low fat microwave popcorn instead.  At only 20 calories per cup, if you can keep the serving size down this shouldn’t put too much of a dent in your diet plan.

Just do watch the trans fat content in these as some are a little too high to be safe for health purposes.

Diet Substitution #12: Swap Juice For Real Fruit

One big mistake many people make is including juice in their diet plan.  While juice may come from real fruit, it contains far too many calories and simple sugars to be considered part of a healthy diet.

Instead, go for real fruit. You’ll get far more fiber with this option and will fill up on just a fraction of the calories it contains.

Diet Substitution #13: Swap Commercial Peanut Butter For Natural Peanut Butter

If you’re a big fan of the creamy taste of peanut butter, make sure that you’re swapping your usual commercial peanut butter for some natural peanut butter instead.

This variation of peanut butter is much healthier as it contains far less sugar and far more healthy fats.  For anyone looking for instant improvement to their diet, this is a wise swap to make.

Diet Substitution #14: Swap Ground Beef For Ground Turkey

If you’re preparing meatballs or burgers, rather than opting for the high fat ground beef option, choose lower fat ground turkey instead.  You can do pretty much the exact same thing with turkey as you can with ground beef but it will go a long ways towards helping you stay slim.

Ground beef, even the extra lean varieties, can still contain too much fat for some diet plans, so really make sure you making use of this substitution.

Diet Substitution #15: Swap Bacon For Turkey Sausage

If you’re someone who dislikes the thought of eggs first thing in the morning and instead tend to opt towards a few slices of bacon, you need to change this as quickly as possible.  Bacon is unfortunately high in sodium and contains far too much saturated fat to be a part of anyone’s diet plan.

Instead, go with some turkey sausage.  While this still won’t be quite as lean as egg whites would be, it’s still a far superior option that will get your day started with enough protein to satisfy your needs.

Diet Substitution #16: Swap Shredded Wheat For Bran Flakes

If you aren’t going to take the oatmeal suggestion from above and are set on your cold cereal, it’s a smart idea to move away from shredded wheat squares or any other granola based cereals that you might be consuming and opt for some bran flakes instead.

Since they are lightweight being flakes they’ll be lower in total calories and still pack that potent fiber punch.  Some of the heavier granola cereals can easily come to 500 calories per regular sized breakfast bowl while with the bran flakes you’ll likely only take in 200.

Diet Substitution #17: Swap Corn For Green Beans

While corn is a healthy vegetable, it’s also quite high in carbohydrates.  For someone watching their calories, green beans are a much better selection.

Just don’t serve the green beans with butter or you’re going to take away from this effect.  Instead, steam them in a small amount of water and then sprinkle on some lemon juice and fresh dill.

Diet Substitution #18: Swap Milk Chocolate For Dark Chocolate

Craving chocolate? You’re not alone.  Most dieters, especially women, will crave chocolate at one point or another. If you’re going to indulge, make it a small piece and then be sure to go with the darkest variety that you can find.

Dark chocolate is actually a source of antioxidants, which can provide some health benefits, so you’ll definitely be better off with this over the sugar-laden milk chocolate that you might have went with instead.

Diet Substitution #19: Swap Pancakes For French Toast

If your typical weekend breakfast meal consists of pancakes, it’s time to substitute that with some French toast instead.  If you prepare the French toast using thinner slices of whole wheat bread and then dip it in egg whites, you’re actually creating a relatively healthy and balanced way to start your day.

Drizzle some sugar-free maple syrup on top and you’ll really reduce back on the calories that you typically would have taken in.

Diet Substitution #20: Swap Nuts For Pretzels When Snacking

While nuts are definitely a source of healthy fats in the diet and should be included, if you’re typically sitting down at night and serving up a bowl, you could easily be consuming hundreds of calories without really realizing it.

While some fat is good, too much is not helpful as then it’s just going to drive your calorie intake up there.

Instead, opt for some pretzels.  Pretzels will be lower in calories and as long as you can keep the serving size to a reasonable level, can be a part of healthy diet.

Make sure to take the pretzels out and put them into a bowl though rather than just eating from the bag because this will significantly decrease the chances that you start overeating on them.

Diet Substitution #21: Swap Cocktails For Vodka And Diet Soda

Finally, the last diet substitution that should be made is swapping out your Friday night cocktail for some vodka and diet cola instead.  Those cocktails will easily lead to hundreds of calories consumed once you factor in the mixers that they’re made with and these are calories that you simply just do not need.

Instead, go for a vodka with diet soda.  The alcohol is still going to work against you and take you further away from your goals, but at least this beverage will only total around 80 calories depending on how large of a serving size you have.

That’s a far cry from the 300-500 that might be in the cocktail you could have opted for so you can quickly see the difference there.

So there are some of the top fast and easy diet swaps that you should definitely consider making.  As you can see, very often you don’t necessarily really have to change the general meal that you’re eating, but just look for little ways that you can improve it nutritionally, either boosting the nutrients it contains or reducing the total calories that it will provide you with.

Every little bit does really add up and if you can cut 50 calories here and 50 calories there, do this five times per day and you’ve easily just lost an extra two pounds per month because of it.

Keep in mind many of these changes will not just save you 50 calories though, but will save you hundreds of calories in one shot, so then your results will add up even quicker.

The more simplistic you make your diet approach, the better chance you will have of seeing dietary success.

Looking for more tips on healthy living and weight loss? Visit www.gngh.com.

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