Instead of, I eat...

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  • upgetupgetup
    upgetupgetup Posts: 749 Member
    White or rose sauces: Greek yogurt stirred in (at the last minute, curdles if it cooks).

    I did try to sub whole wheat pasta for white, but I learned they use insoluble fiber to make it 'healthy', couldn't deal.

    Ice cream: vanilla greek yogurt & berries.

    Brownies: I have tried to make substitutions, but none were great & I still ate too much. Found it safer to just buy a single serving and be done with it, if desperate, or have a different sweet thing like oatmeal and sliced apple, if not.

    White bread: For day to day purposes, rye, after a detour through whole-wheat, whole grain, etc, etc. Still have a nice kaiser now and then, though.

    Steak pan-fried in butter: grilled steak sometimes, but mostly it's still pan-fried in butter :/
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    [I want to do this...but every time I use my protein powder it's all clumpy and ugly in my coffee...any tips would be GREAT!

    You may feel a bit silly doing this the first few times, but it works, plus it makes a nice froth on your coffee. Take a wisk hold it flat between your palms. Put it all the way into your cup of coffee and spin it back and forth. It should do the trik!
  • tommygirl15
    tommygirl15 Posts: 1,012 Member
    Instead of oil, I use chicken stock
    Instead of pop.... soda water
    Instead of candy... fruit
  • wcasie
    wcasie Posts: 299 Member
    instead of a king size snicker or 2 i buy the minis and throw them in the freezer. I can eat the serving size one time a day and no more. them being frozen takes a little longer to eat and is cold so i get that ice cream like fulfulment as well. so instead of nearly 600 calories I eat 2 minis for about 160.
  • dorothytd
    dorothytd Posts: 1,138 Member
    Instead of oil, I use chicken stock

    Just did this last night - a great switch. I also use it in place of cream in a lot of sauces, sometimes with equal parts skim milk. Just needs a little thickening agent. You can make a great scampi or Alfredo, etc.

    This one may seem counter-intuitive to the above, but with the exception of dairy - stopped buying a lot of "fat free" or "reduced fat" items. Often the regular versions have the same or similar calories, and less sugar/fillers.
  • Imanido
    Imanido Posts: 186 Member
    Great thread and really useful tips.

    Instead of salad dressing, I sometimes just put a bit of balsamic vinegar (no oil), or quark. I have changed a lot of sauces, for salad, chips, meat or fish and substitute it by Quark 0% fat and high in protein. It works great.
  • jo_marnes
    jo_marnes Posts: 1,601 Member
    Instead of rice/ pasta/ potatoes I eat roast veggies (pumpkin is my fave) or salad (dry slaw mixes are very filling)

    Instead of oil I use stock/ water/ balsamic etc

    Instead of meats I eat veg/ lentils/ tofu (sometimes - I'm not vegetarian)

    Instead of overly sugary desserts, I eat fruit, natural yohurt and cottage cheese

    Instead of gluten containing cereals, I eat homemade brown rice porridge from my slow cooker

    Instead of butter I eat hummus/ dips spread on crackers and rice cakes
  • Synapze
    Synapze Posts: 499
    Instead of the morning Iced Coffee or the late night munchies, i swap it for a fruit smoothie. Normally Banana, Mango, Strawberries and either Apple Juice or Guava juice.

    Instead of meat (mainly lamb, i still eat chicken and fish) i swap it for a stacked Mushroom (capsicum, egg, little cheese, asparagus ect) or vegetable fritters. (Love the Zucchini ones)

    Instead of putting sugar in my coffee, i swap it for none. :P
  • mareeee1234
    mareeee1234 Posts: 674 Member
    Instead of butter and jam on toast, I'll have light cream cheese with fresh strawberries, (and maybe a little jam)
  • JBcat123
    JBcat123 Posts: 211 Member
    instead of mac n cheese I eat gluten free pasta with pesto sauce

    instead of 3 cups of coffee I drink green tea

    instead of a sandwhich from subway w/ chips I eat carrots/ or cucumber as a snack or a light whole grain vegetable sandwhich with avocado with nuts.

    instead of a cheeseburger from burgerking I have a turkey burger w/ a bun and light mayo. very satisfying!
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Some of these make me sad. :P

    I have discovered quinoa, which I generally substitute for rice. It's especially awesome in my shrimp fried rice recipe.

    Sweet potatoes are great and I agree with the comment about not needing as many toppings (I put sour cream on mine).

    Danon Oikos makes a key lime flavor that is awesome and way lower-calorie than actual key lime pie. Since it's thick it actually has a similar texture to the real thing.
  • maryjay52
    maryjay52 Posts: 557 Member
    its not etched in stone but when i need sweets i take protein powder, a cup of frozen berries and a cup of cold water and make a shake ..its really sweet and creamy and tastes great ..also very filling .... also almond butter and sugarless jam on toasted arnold's bagel thin or sandwich thin is good too ... as opposed to ice cream or the typical peanut butter and jelly sandwich on white
  • ApexLeader
    ApexLeader Posts: 580 Member
    instead of chocolate chip cookies and oreos i'm eating peanuts or almonds
  • RECowgill
    RECowgill Posts: 881 Member
    I don't have too many big dietary changes beyond these few:

    Instead of soda, I drink water. How boring! :yawn:
    Instead of Marie Callender frozen meals, I have a Healthy Choice frozen meal. Still really good but about 1/3 the salt. :drinker:
    Instead of chips, I'll have a fruit. I'm addicted to oranges!!! :love:
    Instead of a fast food burger, I suck on air. :laugh:
  • _TEMPEST_
    _TEMPEST_ Posts: 205
    when sweet cravings strike, I make PB2 Mousse instead of reaching for a candy bar or cake/pie/cookies.

    1 cup Kool Whip Free
    1 tbs PB2

    Stir them together until thick and creamy. If you want to be super indulgent, drizzle with a little Hershey's syrup.
    Tastes naughty but is oh so nice!
  • Reinventing_Me
    Reinventing_Me Posts: 1,053 Member
    Bump! So many great ideas!
  • cleotherio
    cleotherio Posts: 712 Member
    I'm also a nut snacker, lol. Instead of crackers or cookies I have nuts or cheese.
    Instead of chips, I slice up cucumber or peppers and dip them in hummus, peanut butter or yogurt dip. They key is finding a nutritious dip that you crave. That will make you WANT to eat the vegetables.
    Instead of just grabbing the first thing I see for lunch, I think ahead and plan out what I'm going to have.
  • pandorakick
    pandorakick Posts: 901 Member
    I found that for lunch it is very easy for me to over do it on bread and toppings, because I don't feel full. So instead of lunching with sandwiches I have salad, baked eggs with veggies or leftovers from dinner that I keep in the freezer in lunch sized portions.
  • Debbiedebbiey
    Debbiedebbiey Posts: 824 Member
    Instead of butter on my english muffin, I use 1 tblsp coconut oil-yummeee
  • mmocarr
    mmocarr Posts: 108 Member
    Instead of French fries I eat really crispy roasted green beans.
  • laccy40
    laccy40 Posts: 136
    Instead of mayonnaise I'll use cranberry sauce or sweet chilli sauce. Well sometimes still some mayo but I used to put it on everything. I don't like low fat versions of things because I don't like some of the ingredients they add so I'd rather find a substitute and kep the real thing as a treat :happy:
  • strongmind_strongbody
    strongmind_strongbody Posts: 82
    Instead of chips, I eat popcorn
    Instead of Sprite, I drink unsweet iced tea.
    Instead of a whole roll of cookie dough, I eat my homemade protein bars.
    Instead of a half-gallon of ice cream, I eat one serving of ice cream. :laugh:
  • danasings
    danasings Posts: 8,218 Member
    I'm with Alex...I turn to protein a lot especially nuts. I have a variety of nuts in my pantry and in my classroom at work.

    yes sweetie...we LOVE our nuts...

    all varieties, shapes and sizes....

    don't we.



    Heheheheheh :wink:

    I use protein powder and some lite Hershey's syrup with milk in my coffee instead of coffee mate. BIG difference in fullness, helps my macros tremendously, and oh, the calories...well, let's just say that when I first started measuring last January I discovered that I added @300 calories of that Italian Sweet Cream ish to my coffee every morning. Um, nothanksbye.

    I want to do this...but every time I use my protein powder it's all clumpy and ugly in my coffee...any tips would be GREAT!

    edited to fix my post because apparently I can't post without an error tonight......sighs

    Put the powder in the mug first, then add a little bit of coffee. Stir and stir and mush all of the clumps out. then add more coffee, milk and/or syrup (i also use sugar free torani sometimes) to keep it from getting lumpy, add liquid very gradually and stir, stir, stir. Let me know how it turns out! :)
  • danasings
    danasings Posts: 8,218 Member
    Instead of chips, I eat popcorn
    Instead of Sprite, I drink unsweet iced tea.
    Instead of a whole roll of cookie dough, I eat my homemade protein bars.
    Instead of a half-gallon of ice cream, I eat one serving of ice cream. :laugh:

    And check out the results...hot, hot, HOT!! :love:
  • CoronerKris
    CoronerKris Posts: 57 Member
    Instead of Bourbon, stick to Beer!
  • terranowhere
    terranowhere Posts: 5 Member
    I got a "chipster" from EPICURE and thinly slice a potato (or yam or apple or carrot or.....) and lay single layer on chipster, a dash of salt for flavor and "zap" for 4min- voila- chips. My teen-age son and daughter love them too and there's absolutely NO FAT, just the carb calories. We also use hummus instead of mayo- extra protein and use different flavoured ones for a change! great in tuna salad
  • caseyg9888
    caseyg9888 Posts: 36
    Instead of soda... Water
    Instead of regular pasta.... Whole wheat
    Instead of a big plate of white rice.... Only 1/3 or 1 cup of whole wheat rice
    Instead of juice..... Unsweetened tea

    Whole wheat rice?
  • bluelena
    bluelena Posts: 304 Member
    Instead of regular pie, I make protein pie. Instead of mint chocolate chip ice cream, I make mint chocolate chip spinach protein ice cream. instead of brownies I make.... Well, I haven't found a good substitution for brownies, (the protein ones don't compare), so I have brownies on special occasions.

    Can I have the ice cream recipe? I love the idea of spinach hidden in there.

    1 scoop of protein powder, (with vanilla the spinach will turn the shake green, with chocolate it will be greenish brown. I prefer vanilla for looks)

    1/2 tsp peppermint extract
    1/4 cup milk
    2 to 3 cups of spinach, or as much as you want. (if you freeze it first, it will help thicken the shake)
    sweetener to taste.
    1 frozen banana
    1 tbsp dark chocolate chips. (optional)
    blend in a blender.
    I will either drink it as a thick shake, or freeze it in an ice cube tray. then I can pop out the cubes, and mix when I'm ready to eat it.

    sometimes I'll top it with lite whipping cream, and chocolate syrup for a sundae.


    Bump for recipe.

    I use 2% Fage Greek yogurt in place of sour cream. I had been using fat free, but the 2% has a better mouthfeel and is a dead-on imposter for full fat sour cream.
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
    Instead of a donuts-eat TOAST!
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
    I started eating fruit for dessert. I like something sweet after dinner, so fruit did the trick. I still eat chocolate sometimes though.

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