Health check! What healthy substitutes are you making?

paleobacon

All my cheese lovers can sympathize with me, it's hard to give the stuff up. Burgers aren't the same and there's nothing like a huge plate of nachos covered in cheese. Unfortunately diet is a HUGE part of health and weight so we can't all just go diving into the nearest cheese pool each day. I've found that avocados really work to kill my cheese craving. If I'm hungry for a cheeseburger, I'll cook up some lean beef and top it off with mashed avocado, diced onions, and mustard. It tastes great! I also like to use avocados in place of mayo when I make salmon salad. Just get some canned salmon, flake it into a nice soft diced up avocado, and mix it all together with some spices and mustard.

What kind of food substitutes work well for you?

TiredOfMyself

Replacing bacon with turkey bacon.. it's small, but now I'm so used to Turkey bacon that real bacon taste weird to me,

CookNLift

Instead of a burger from a fast food / restaurant I make it at home.

I don't really substitute much, because my healthy meals are my healthy meals whilst my crave meals I allow myself to indulge in.

And to anyone who dares say it, the only substitute for bacon is more bacon. Turkey bacon is okay, but it is not bacon. lol

CookNLift

Acg67

All my cheese lovers can sympathize with me, it's hard to give the stuff up. Burgers aren't the same and there's nothing like a huge plate of nachos covered in cheese. Unfortunately diet is a HUGE part of health and weight so we can't all just go diving into the nearest cheese pool each day. I've found that avocados really work to kill my cheese craving. If I'm hungry for a cheeseburger, I'll cook up some lean beef and top it off with mashed avocado, diced onions, and mustard. It tastes great! I also like to use avocados in place of mayo when I make salmon salad. Just get some canned salmon, flake it into a nice soft diced up avocado, and mix it all together with some spices and mustard.

What kind of food substitutes work well for you?

Are you lactose intolerant that you've given up cheese or just doing it to make your diet even more restrictive than it has to be

MinnieInMaine

Fruit with my sandwich instead of chips
Plain greek yogurt with fresh fruit or natural jam instead of the regular flavored kind
A week's worth of steel cut oats cooked in the crock pot intsead of instant oatmeal
More veggie side, less pasta/rice/potato side
Homemade casseroles with better ingredients instead of frozen/boxed meals

taso42

I've substituted egg white scrambles with whole eggs, cheese, and bacon.

3laine75

just have the cheese and work it into your calories/macros

avacado is NOT a substitute for cheese!!

stephaniekimballkor

After switching over to a Paleo Template about two years ago, I started dabbling with homemade condiments. I now substitute store bought with homemade on the following:

Mayo
Ranch Seasoning
Italian Seasoning
Taco Seasoning
Chili Powder
Barbeque Sauce

It is suprising how much sugar and other icky additives are found in those types of items.

Contrarian

I would rather make cheese fit my macros. There is no substitute for cheese. I am just more mindful of portion sizes, now, but I still eat what I like.

paleobacon

After switching over to a Paleo Template about two years ago, I started dabbling with homemade condiments. I now substitute store bought with homemade on the following:

Mayo
Ranch Seasoning
Italian Seasoning
Taco Seasoning
Chili Powder
Barbeque Sauce

It is suprising how much sugar and other icky additives are found in those types of items.

How do you make paleo mayo? I've tried a bunch of times and it just comes out super liquid-y. Any advice?

pluckabee

Instead of olive oil for cooking, I use lard

siqiniq

I don't substitute because I haven't cut anything out of my diet. I've simply reduced portions, and I don't have all of my favourites on the same day. I've found that 20 grams of cheese is usually enough. Today I burned a lot of calories biking, so tonight I ordered a pasta dish from an Italian restaurant, and didn't go over my calories. It's all in how I plan my meals and my exercise.

conniehv40

bump-i want to read this, but don't have time! good post-hope I get some ideas.

paleobacon

All my cheese lovers can sympathize with me, it's hard to give the stuff up. Burgers aren't the same and there's nothing like a huge plate of nachos covered in cheese. Unfortunately diet is a HUGE part of health and weight so we can't all just go diving into the nearest cheese pool each day. I've found that avocados really work to kill my cheese craving. If I'm hungry for a cheeseburger, I'll cook up some lean beef and top it off with mashed avocado, diced onions, and mustard. It tastes great! I also like to use avocados in place of mayo when I make salmon salad. Just get some canned salmon, flake it into a nice soft diced up avocado, and mix it all together with some spices and mustard.

What kind of food substitutes work well for you?

Are you lactose intolerant that you've given up cheese or just doing it to make your diet even more restrictive than it has to be

I'm not lactose intolerant and I haven't given up cheese completely, but I try not to eat it everyday. I keep to eating paleo as much as possible so I don't make dairy a staple in my diet.

sharonfoustmills

I am not giving up cheese. I love cheese. I buy the skim milk or 2% milk cheese, but I still eat it- I just make sure I only eat one serving of it (I probably used to eat 4 servings of cheese on my tacos). I will sacrifice and make changes in many ways to improve my health, like decreasing sweets and fried foods, but I'm not giving up something natural and healthy like cheese because it makes no sense to do that.

Keffinger22

I LOVE pasta so I can't see myself giving up completely so instead I have switched to Brown rice and the whole grain spaghetti noodles. Also my goal today is to start eating more veggies and fruit

SJVZEE

I've totally changed my diet, from the SAD to a whole foods, plant based diet. I don't do substitutes though (no fake meats, cheeses etc), I've just changed what kinds of foods I eat and I'm really enjoying it so far

kbcara

ryvita crackerbread [not the other cardboard stuff] with soft cheese [light] - instead of toast and butter at night

low kcal yogurt, meringue and fruit, or low kcal jellies, or frozen fresh fruit juice [small homemade lollies] at home instead of desserts when eating out i.e. skip final course until home

make my own crisps [thinly sliced sweet potato baked] and chips [boiled potato, bashed and baked]

agree 100% home-made burgers better tasting...

not a sub - but individual portions of stuff I love e.g. M&S do single person pouches of potatoes etc. stop me doing my own portions!

not a sub - but individual portions of frozen yogurt e.g. moo-yoo, again stop me doing my own portions.

busy lifestyle = lots of microwave meals for me, but learnt the 'good for you', 'count on us' etc. options all got same kcals [less fat, but I count kcals] than the better/less processed packs which are far more satisfying and don't leave me wanting to snack.

i think if cheese is your thing, unless you have an intolerance, i'd build some into your allowance and have it! bread is my thing and i have massively reduced it, no toast breakfast/supper, no sandwiches lunchtime BUT now and again I treat myself to a bakers roll with a salad, a wholemeal roll with a burger or the bread basket at a restaurant but I prepare for it/factor it in and rejig my eating/kcals around it.

athenasurrenders

How do you make paleo mayo? I've tried a bunch of times and it just comes out super liquid-y. Any advice?

The trick with making mayo is to whisk your egg yolks a little, then add your oil a tiny amount at a time, whisking as you go. When you've used up about 1/3rd of the oil the recipe asks for, it's time to add your vinegar. Then continue adding oil and whisking like crazy until you get the desired thickness. You might not use anywhere near the amount of oil the recipe calls for. I think the problem most people face is adding the oil too fast.

To answer the question - I mostly just make small tweaks. Use much less oil when cooking (don't worry, I still get my healthy fats in every day). Make 'take out' recipes at home. Slightly reduce portions and 'bulk out' food with extra veggies.

It helps that I just developed lactose intolerance, which has removed the temptation to eat a lot of fast foods because so many have hidden dairy.

Lupercalia

After switching over to a Paleo Template about two years ago, I started dabbling with homemade condiments. I now substitute store bought with homemade on the following:

Mayo
Ranch Seasoning
Italian Seasoning
Taco Seasoning
Chili Powder
Barbeque Sauce

It is suprising how much sugar and other icky additives are found in those types of items.

How do you make paleo mayo? I've tried a bunch of times and it just comes out super liquid-y. Any advice?

Yes, go to Melissa Joulwan's site and follow her instructions. Comes out perfect every time for me.

http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2010/06/03/the-secret-to-homemade-mayo-patience/

chrisdavey

since going paleo I replaced chicken with t-rex. It has great macros.

lauren3101

I don't make any substitutions. I just eat less of what I ate before.

CookNLift

Lupercalia

As for the no cheese on a burger thing, I think if you add enough seasonings and toppings, you won't really miss the cheese. I like mustard, homemade mayo, avocado, red onion and tomato on mine, and always season the meat with a bunch of spices beforehand.

paleobacon

After switching over to a Paleo Template about two years ago, I started dabbling with homemade condiments. I now substitute store bought with homemade on the following:

Mayo
Ranch Seasoning
Italian Seasoning
Taco Seasoning
Chili Powder
Barbeque Sauce

It is suprising how much sugar and other icky additives are found in those types of items.

How do you make paleo mayo? I've tried a bunch of times and it just comes out super liquid-y. Any advice?

Yes, go to Melissa Joulwan's site and follow her instructions. Comes out perfect every time for me.

http://www.theclothesmakethegirl.com/2010/06/03/the-secret-to-homemade-mayo-patience/

Perfect. Thank you for this!

JustSammi

I point blank refuse to give up cheese but I've started buying the lighter versions. I just make sure it's not full of sugar instead of the fat before I buy it. Otherwise, I'd rather eat the full fat stuff.

The only other significant change I've made is switching from white carbs to wholewheat bread, pasta and rice. I've always eaten healthily anyway so now I just eat what I want but make sure I log it and have smaller portions.