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Creating a healthy diet for weight loss doesn’t have to mean completely upending your routines in favor of bland and flavorless foods. Instead, making small swaps to your diet and replacing processed or less nutritionally dense foods with their healthier counterparts can not only save you calories, but it can also stand to improve your overall wellness, boosting your metabolism and creating a diet tailored to weight loss that you’ll be able to stick to.
While some diet swaps such as veggies instead chips or fruit instead of sweets may be obvious, there are other, less apparent changes you can make to your eating habits which will satisfy your cravings while providing more vitamins and minerals to your day. In order to optimize your diet for weight loss and reset your eating habits to account for the changes you want to see, these are the five food swaps you should be making this month to create a healthier you.
Almond Flour for White Flour
If you’re prone to bloating or have a gluten intolerance, then swapping out traditional white flour for a more nutritious option is the way to go. White flour is often more refined and devoid of vitamins and minerals, so nutritionist Lisa Richards recommends replacing it with oat or almond flour instead.
“Some individuals may find they need a reset due to the presence of gluten in their diet. A gluten sensitivity can lead to slowed weight loss and overall poor health,” she notes. “Almond flour is probably the most popular gluten free flour alternative. It's naturally nutty flavor makes it a great option for baked goods containing nuts or to get that nutty taste without adding in nuts themselves.”
Pumpkin Smoothie for Sugary Latte
Sugary coffee drinks are wildly popular especially during the fall months but they’re often loaded with calories which can slow down your metabolism and cause unexpected weight gain when consumed regularly. Therefore, making the swap for homemade smoothies can make all the difference in being aware of the ingredients going into your beverage.
One of the most popular flavors of the season, pumpkin is also rich in nutrients which can make a great addition to your diet to improve your health and satisfy your sweet cravings. “Pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamin A and fiber, which can help keep you full and regulate blood sugar level,” explains nutritionist Heather Hanks. “Instead of a pumpkin spice latte, try adding fresh pumpkin to a smoothie with unsweetened almond or coconut milk, cinnamon, a banana, and some chia seeds.”
Sweet Potato for Potato
Potatoes are an excellent source of carbohydrates to include in your diet, but there is certainly a hierarchy of nutrients when you look at the options across the board. Instead of choosing a basic potato, Hanks suggests reaching for a sweet potato instead.
“Research shows that glucomannan helps reduce food cravings - this is a type of fiber found in yam. You can add yam to your diet in place of white potatoes or even take it in supplement form,” she notes. “Some of my clients will drink a shake that contains glucomannan to reduce cravings, control blood sugar spikes, and promote weight loss.”
Brown Rice for White Rice
Another valuable carbohydrate, rice can come in many forms with some being healthier than others. In this case, if you regularly opt for white rice, make the swap to brown rice instead for a boost of fiber and an extra dose of vitamins that the refined white rice loses out on.
“Much the same as white bread for whole wheat bread, making this rice switch will add fiber,” explains registered dietitian Trista Best. “This switch will also ensure you are getting some important B vitamins that may otherwise have been removed.”
Greek Yogurt for Sweetened Yogurt
Rich in protein, yogurt can be great to fuel your muscles whether you follow a vegetarian diet or not. However, sugary yogurt options do very little for your overall health and should be switched out for a Greek alternative which you can sweeten yourself.
“Swap for plain Greek yogurt and add your own fruit, flavor extracts, and/or nuts to it. Greek yogurt is about 3 times higher in protein than "normal" yogurt which makes it more satisfying and choosing the kind without added sugar helps keep "empty calories" in check,” explains Zoë Schroeder, MS, RDN, CSCS. The perfect breakfast to kickstart your day, Greek yogurt with nuts and berries will fuel your body without overloading it with unnatural ingredients and empty calories.
