What are your favorite diet hacks?
hezaa777
Posts: 25 Member
Interested to find out what diet hacks everyone has used to cut calories or break unhealthy habits?
Here are two things I've done recently:
1. Replaced traditional pasta with zucchini cut on my mandoline slicer. Fewer calories and more nutritional benefits.
2. Replaced diet soda with homemade infused water. Adds a little bit of extra flavor and nutrition.
I would love to hear your ideas!
Here are two things I've done recently:
1. Replaced traditional pasta with zucchini cut on my mandoline slicer. Fewer calories and more nutritional benefits.
2. Replaced diet soda with homemade infused water. Adds a little bit of extra flavor and nutrition.
I would love to hear your ideas!
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Replies
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Awesome thread idea!
If I fry something I use a nonstick pan so I don't need to use extra grease....
I drink a lot of herbal teas, both ones that I sweeten with stevia and ones that don't need it
Speaking of teas, I found a black tea with peppermint lately that doesn't need sweetener, pretty hard to find for something with caffeine - it's Celestial Seasonings Peppermint Peak
I love cut up red bell pepper - more vitamin C than an orange and plenty of vitamin A
When I make bread I swap in half spelt or rye and don't use oil or milk
Pea pods and fat free Greek yogurt dip - just add your favorite spices to the yogurt
Red lentil pasta is nice too - some say there are anti-nutrients in it but I don't eat it often enough to worry
Love your infused water idea!15 -
I like using plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream in savory foods like baked potatoes.30
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Red lentil pasta is nice too - some say there are anti-nutrients in it but I don't eat it often enough to worry[/quote]
Mainlining white tea between meals - it’s the most extraordinary appetite suppressant. Over the last decade I’ve definitely moved away from a normal cuppa to something a bit more special (blue lady tea 😍), mostly because I prefer it!
Very curious about this “anti-nutrient” lentil pasta issue. We just discovered it and while it tastes a bit wierd, I’m loving eating pasta again with the family. However if it’s secretly evil, I’d like to know?!3 -
Thanks for all the great ideas, Sand_Tiger!
I need to add more tea to my life. Anything hot helps this time of the year!
As for the infused water, I love it. It seems to curb my appetite and help me feel more energized. Plus, you can make all different kinds - but fresh mint with everything, so far.4 -
I wouldn't call them "hacks" but I've enacted a number of process changes to both support good habits and curtail negative ones. I'm a firm believer in the "failing to plan is planning to fail" philosophy. Pre-logging, pre-packing, and pre-planning as many meals as possible are all key for me. For example, if I don't pack a lunch to go to the office and leave the decision to what to eat and/or how much to lunchtime I found I was rarely happy with the result. Similarly, minimizing the amount of small bills and change I carried mitigated my propensity to hit the vending machines during lulls at the office. For at home, my wife and I spent a good chunk of time grocery shopping together, and even when we don't, we try to keep each other accountable to the type and quantity of food we bring into the house; even more now that we have a very observant toddler running around.20
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ClearNotCloudyMind wrote: »Very curious about this “anti-nutrient” lentil pasta issue. We just discovered it and while it tastes a bit wierd, I’m loving eating pasta again with the family. However if it’s secretly evil, I’d like to know?!
Well, based on reading a bunch of articles about it, the logic goes this way: Red lentils, like beans and other legumes, contain phytic acid, which can potentially prevent the absorption of certain minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorous and zinc. They also have two complex sugars, farrinose and stachyose, that aren't broken down very well by our digestive system and cause gassiness. Proper preparation is the key to fixing that, which is why we soak beans so they are less gas inducing. Sprouting is another thing people do to make beans more digestible.
The concern that some people have is that legume based pastas aren't soaked or sprouted first, they are made from ground bean/legume flour.
I still eat red lentil pasta without concern because (a) it doesn't make me excessively gassy, which means my body is doing okay digesting it, and (b) I'm eating it in small quantities - like one to one and a half servings at a time, or 2-3 ounces dry pasta. Finally (c), I'm also not eating it at the same time as I take in a bunch of minerals, and that's fine because the phytic acid anti nutrient effect only lasts a few hours. If I were OMAD I might be more worried. Once again moderation and a balanced diet wins!
Personally I'm not worried about it because of the above reasons but I know it's a Thing for some people.
Back to the topic at hand though - I now "owe" another diet hack! I use crystalized lemon or lime powder to add flavor to a lot of things, I usually find I need less sugar if I have more flavor.
Also I do things like squats and counter pushups while I'm waiting for my tea to heat.
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Drinking water when I get frustrated instead of eating. Also logging my snacks first.29
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Smaller beautiful plates, you can only fit so much and I don't do second helpings. Tall glass for water and I treat water like the most precious thing ever so it is never to be wasted.19
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Mixing cauliflower rice with regular rice.More volume, lesser calories and still feels like eating regular rice.58
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I try to avoid complex carbs after 6 pm and no carbonated drinks at all regardless of whether they are diet or sugar free - that seems to help.11
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Online grocery shopping - I started because of the pandemic but the longer I do it the more I realize how much it has cut down my impulse buying of calorie dense/low nutrition food. I still have those but now they're a DELIBERATE choice and just a little. Instead of "oh look there's a candy bar by the checkout and the bakery made brownies and it smells delicious". Meaning my grocery orders are so much heavier on things I, you know, cook and are good for me.42
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tomato paste = I use it to add flavor and meaty taste to my ground chicken breast..be it making meatloaf..chili..I also add a tablespoon or two to soups and sauces.. it adds dimension and taste.
Balsamic vinegar - I use it to add flavor to ground chicken, turkey when making anything like burgers..and on my lean steaks ..works in stir fry also like soy sauce.
Low sodium chicken broth - to steam my vegetables and in place of milk and butter in my smashed potatoes.18 -
Anytime I make something with a ground meat - meatloaf, meatballs, spaghetti, etc - I chop vegetables up into it. Celery, carrots, eggplant, zucchini, etc. I try adding vegetables to as many things as possible.30
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This is a weird one, but having oatmeal for breakfast. It seems to fill me up better and for longer than lots of other breakfasts. - This seems to be a "thing", too, as it apparently has been shown that this "longer filling" thing works for many people. - Also, I just like how versatile oatmeal is.
Bean pastas. They just help adding some protein. I dont notice them creating any problems for me, so I am going to stick with them.
Kombucha when I really feel like soft drink. (Though sometimes I go for a no sugar soft drink option instead). They are relatively low calorie drinks and good for your gut.
Reduced sugar and swapped most of my added sugar intake for Natvia. Though, I don't avoid sugar completely or anything like that.11 -
Smaller beautiful plates, you can only fit so much and I don't do second helpings. Tall glass for water and I treat water like the most precious thing ever so it is never to be wasted.
Oh yes! I spent a little extra and got some really super cute bowls that actually fit a proper serving of rice or pasta. They are so pretty and well balanced that they are a pleasure to use and make a meal feel special. I love them.
More hacks: PBFit is nice for making peanut sauce or something to spread on apples. No fat helps me reduce my total calories but still have that peanutty goodness. I also got some dehydrated cheese powder - 35 cal a tablespoon and made of real cheddar - and it's amazing for popcorn or sprinkling on vegetables. Both products don't have a lot of extra ingredients either.11 -
I drink flavoured water (0 calorie) and have switched from coffee with cream and sugar to chai tea with Splenda or Stevia. I get bored of plain water and this has helped me switch from high calorie drinks.
I also try to make myself eat two cups of cooked veggies before I eat whatever other dinner meal I’ve planned. Two cups of green beans or sautéed peppers or boiled cabbage or just mushrooms sautéed with a light margarine usually fills my tummy quite a bit for less than 75-90 calories. Then I “reward” myself with a smaller portion of whatever I want so long as it fits in my calories. I find after I eat 2 cups of veggies then it’s almost work to get my protein in and I don’t really want much of whatever I else I made.
I also keep a stash of “Source” brand 35 calorie “dessert” yogurt cups. When I crave something sweet I try that first and usually the craving for anything else passes. (Great for that late afternoon or late evening snack urge).
A 35 calorie serving of light Source brand yogurt and the11 -
Fat is my favorite hack. I can't eat high volume (I react badly to a lot of vegetables) so I have to find ways to increase satiety in a small amount of food. And it's amazing how satisfying a tablespoon of half-and-half is in a large cup of chai.... shuts down my urge to munch all evening long, and so 50 calories well placed keep me from eating 450.25
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Agree! I had some whipping cream to use up after making some butter, and I put it in my chai. Now I’m taking upwards of 100 calories a day out of my budget for a tbsp in both cups. Bonus, it’s helping me up my fat macro which is usually really low.
Having said that, my favorite hack is a hot drink: chai latte, pomegranate tea, a German Christmas fruit tea, or a lovely cup of Kusmi caramel or rouge tea (have to use those sparingly. Kusmi costs an arm and a leg and is for special breakfasts.)
Hot drinks are filling, satisfying, and take a long time to drink, so there’s lots of “mouth exercise” involved.
Once a week, after cooking something in the air fryer-which I’m gonna have to clean anyway- I throw in several pounds of chicken breast, seasoned with just Lawry’s or some lemon pepper seasoning. It only takes about ten minutes to cook a halved breast. Chicken breast is low calorie, low fat and high protein.
I chop it and use it in salads, mix it with a little low cal Kraft mayo, BBQ sauce, or some Thai peanut sauce and roll it into a low carb tortilla. It’s very useful to have pre-cooked in the fridge, tasty, filling, nutritious.....
I don’t care too much for hard candies. They’re not something I’d binge on, so I can keep a jar and eat one once in a while if I’m flagging. There’s some very nice hard candies for well under 20 calories. Even a mini candy cane is only 17! Ginger People ginger chews and Hermann the German both have high taste sweets for cheap calories. I keep a bag of Hermann’s in my backpack and slowly suck on one between studio classes.
Beef jerky has gotten me over many humps.
A slice of deli chicken rolled up tight makes a good snack in a pinch.
Fave lo cal products:
Kraft Fat Free Mayo 10 calories per tbsp
Kroger Thai peanut sauce 35 per tbsp
Walden Farms maple syrup 5 calories for 2 tbsp
Vietnamese Cinnamon : much spicier than “normal” cinnamon
Oli+Ve balsamic vinegar on salads, fruit, stir fries, marinade
Jordan’s Skinny Syrups
Trader Joe’s Umami Seasoning Blend
Tajin seasoning (Mexican chili and dried lime)
Jello sugar free puddings and jellos
Hagel (Dutch chocolate sprinkles- not low cal but very intense chocolate flavor for a few grams sprinkle)
Sabarino Tartufi truffle salt
Lidl Taco kits (not low cal per se but very acceptable at 130 calories per 2 hard shell tacos and sauces, add your fillings)
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I constantly drink unsweetened herbal teas or just hot water with a slice of lemon. Never add sugar to coffee or tea.
I don’t drink any pop or juices except tomato juice once in a blue moon and for some reason I drink it from the measuring cup.
I brush my teeth right after dinner so I wouldn’t be tempted to eat anything. I’m too lazy to restart the routine all over again.
If I don’t have lunch with me in the office I get a bowl of soup. Nothing else with it. That way I know for sure I stayed reasonable.
I try not to have chips in the house cause I know I can eat a family size bag alone in one sitting.
I’m a volume eater so my salad game is strong.
I also try to eat my meals at the same time of the day to develop a habit and to not feel any hunger.14 -
Chips are a weird food for me. If I can't have them at all I will binge. However, I'm no good with portioning. The answer is to buy large packages of single-serving bags. I've always told myself that if I want more than one bag, I can have it, but somehow the "opening another bag" is just enough to keep me just eating the one.
And this week I'm trying the trick of not eating any for a few days; I'm bloated and that's a quick way to drop my sodium intake.13 -
Afternoon snack: 400 cl of soy milk heated with 25 gr of vanilla pudding powder and stevia. It makes a big bowl of hot vanilla custard with exactly 175 kcals. This satisfies my sweet tooth and keeps me full until dinner.
After dinner / tv time snack: a fresh pomegranate: supertasty and low cal and it keeps my hands and mind busy for a good half hour.9 -
That’s some brilliant thinking @Antiopelle I love pomegranates but always end up looking like I have the pox when I eat one. They just get everywhere.
Maybe I could invest in a case of lobster bibs.8 -
Antiopelle wrote: »Afternoon snack: 400 cl of soy milk heated with 25 gr of vanilla pudding powder and stevia. It makes a big bowl of hot vanilla custard with exactly 175 kcals. This satisfies my sweet tooth and keeps me full until dinner.
After dinner / tv time snack: a fresh pomegranate: supertasty and low cal and it keeps my hands and mind busy for a good half hour.
i love this idea. I will have to try it. Sometimes I just want chocolate pudding or a chocolate muffin. Maybe this will help.4 -
One of my favorite with lunch treats is strawberries and bananas cut up together and topped with reddi whip
2 protein pancakes with 1tbs of pumpkin spice cream cheese
I don't do sugar or creamer in my coffee just stevia and almond milk6 -
springlering62 wrote: »That’s some brilliant thinking @Antiopelle I love pomegranates but always end up looking like I have the pox when I eat one. They just get everywhere.
Maybe I could invest in a case of lobster bibs.
I'm covered in an easy to wash small blanket when eating one
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- Fries and roast potatoes from the air fryer. What a difference in calories
- I don't drink any calories, except alcohol and I've cut down on that too. So just water, black coffee or tea
- Cauliflower rice with my curry, or no rice at all with my curry, I might just have a small naan bread instead
- Preplanning (as someone else mentioned above) is major for me as well11 -
wunderkindking wrote: »Online grocery shopping - I started because of the pandemic but the longer I do it the more I realize how much it has cut down my impulse buying of calorie dense/low nutrition food. I still have those but now they're a DELIBERATE choice and just a little. Instead of "oh look there's a candy bar by the checkout and the bakery made brownies and it smells delicious". Meaning my grocery orders are so much heavier on things I, you know, cook and are good for me.
I don't shop online (bad experiences with allergy issues) but I did start going to smaller grocery stores. I used to do Meijer along with Aldi. Now I do Aldi and Fresh Thyme for my weekly stuff and then ethnic markets when I need something special. By cutting out Meijer, I am buy so much less! There simply are not as many options to impulse buy on. So it's been great for my weight AND for my wallet.
Tea is a big one for me. A hot cup of tea with a bit of sugar at night seems to take away those snacking cravings at night. After dinner is when I have the hardest time staying on track because once I start eating, I keep going. But the tea, even with the sugar, is much lower in calories and doesn't make me feel yucky.
I also try to aim for half my plate being veggies so I can bulk up my food without bulking up the calories. I have to be careful though. No raw veggies. They tear my stomach up.
And I don't fear carbs. Carbs keep me full for a long time, especially when paired with lean protein. This is pretty much to say, listen to your body. Another person's diet may not be the best for you. I could NEVER do Keto or low carb. My body doesn't like it. So I do what works for me.19 -
I have been using the "stop, wait, let some time pass" then have some water, or a bowl of vegies, then decide if I really want that candy bar or unhealthy treat/meal. It's a mindfullness technique I learned about and it works for me. Good luck everyone!! Great thread 18
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Thanks for all the awesome ideas! You all rock!
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Tea all day. I have an electric kettle in my office and at noon I switch to caffeine free. I have a drawer full of black, green, oolong, ginger, and assorted herbal.
It forces me to get up frequently to walk to the bathroom, and I take the opportunity to go to the restroom one floor up.
That is while I was working on-site.11
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