Swap this for that!

13

Replies

  • 120by30
    120by30 Posts: 217 Member
    Why are people so sad about what others are choosing to eat or not eat?
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,307 Member
    Yes, not getting the sadness here either.

    Yes I get the swap large portion for small portion instead of changing foods point - but you can do that sometimes and find low calorie filling things to swap high calorie things for other times.

    I agree it is sad if people are forcing themselves to eat swaps that they hate - but that would just be silly.
    I like cauliflower so am happy to have that sometimes instead of potatoes.
    I really dislike cucumber so I'm not swapping anything for that.

    Common sense, really.
  • tawnywest
    tawnywest Posts: 45 Member
    Shirataki (tofu) noodles for pasta noodles. The whole bag is only 40 calories. It's found in the refrigerator section where tofu is kept.
  • krispy1982
    krispy1982 Posts: 47 Member
    I looooooove salt and vinegar chips. Since I can't fit as many as I'd like in every day, salt and vinegar is also awesome on really crisp iceberg lettuce or cucumbers.

    Ok now I want a snack...
  • jmv7117
    jmv7117 Posts: 891 Member
    Okay, spelling error no need to be a jerk about it :) And yes, ice cream is definitely not the most healthy food around but again MY opinion, don't want to start a war here :)

    Eons ago when I had my tonsils removed, the standard hospital fare during recovery was vanilla ice cream. The point is, ice cream is not necessarily unhealthy. A good quality ice cream or homemade ice cream made using quality ingredients has good nutritional value including high protein so it is not something that has to be eliminated from the diet. However, cheap brands use artificial colours, artificial flavours, HFCS, thickeners like carrageenan, sugar substitutes, and lower protein content These are the ice creams that should be avoided.

    FWIW, many view ice cream as a must have treat. We don't. I make homemade ice cream three or four times a year and we enjoy a rare ice cream cone with the grandkids once or twice a year. For those that do like ice cream, there's a lot worse desserts to indulge in like Boston cream pie :laugh:
  • Tillyecl1
    Tillyecl1 Posts: 189 Member
    Have swapped my morning muesli and semi skimmed milk for 100g 0% Greek yoghurt, 15g honey and 25g granola.

    Turns out that this meal is the BEST THING EVER for me! I love everything about it (although I now have a minor addiction to honey, on yoghurt, on toast, just straight off the spoon :-S). I originally swapped because I wanted to try and get some extra protein in (and unfortunately eggs make me sick) it's like having desert for breakfast (and I have a very sweet tooth)! And it fills me up so much more than my measly muesli portion did.

    Happy happy times :-D

    EDIT: Even better the muesli and yoghurt breakfasts have ~ the same number of calories, excellent!
  • xoeva
    xoeva Posts: 209 Member
    Plain non fat Greek yogurt for mayo... (not on hamburgers) but in tuna, and egg salad = yumm!
  • Skimmed Milk instead of Semi Skimmed Milk
    Tinned Peaches in fruit juice to make me think i'm having a "pudding"
    sweet potato majority of time instead of potato
    fry light spray instead of olive oil
    Low fat pesto instead of pesto
  • Mygsds
    Mygsds Posts: 1,564 Member
    Mine is. Baked kale chips that have olive oil and salt,pepper dipped in low fat sour cream with powdered ranch dressing mixed in .... Instead of sour cream and onion potato chips and French onion dip. I would eat tons of this. Can't believe how good baked kale chips are.
  • 40andFindingFitness
    40andFindingFitness Posts: 497 Member
    For my sugar and salt fix:

    Candy for grapes, watermelon, or other melons.
    Chips for low sodium crackers & lowfat cheese.
  • Skimmed Milk instead of Semi Skimmed Milk
    Tinned Peaches in fruit juice to make me think i'm having a "pudding"
    sweet potato majority of time instead of potato
    fry light spray instead of olive oil
    Low fat pesto instead of pesto
  • xoeva
    xoeva Posts: 209 Member
    /Oh another one... instead of spaghetti I have spaghetti squash...easy to bake - cut in half, take seeds out and in overn for 45 min at 350 then scoop out the 'spaghetti stands' and I arrange them on a plate like spaghetti and put (home made) tomato sauce and a bit of parmesan cheese and YUM. And I can have seconds! At first I didn't think I'd be full since i love carbs...but it is actually quite filling...and they re-heat nicely!
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    Why are people so sad about what others are choosing to eat or not eat?

    Because unless you have a medical condition its unnecessary. And to watch people make mistakes that I've made in the past is sad, you can enjoy delicious food just smaller amounts of it. You don't have to think of any food as good or bad.

    Eating cauliflower and pretending it's pizza crust is just depressing.

    Also for the one that said this is about getting healthier not just losing weight, well since I've lost 107 lbs by eating all the good foods that I enjoy, I've been taken off of multiple prescriptions, all my blood work has improved significantly... so I would say I'm getting much healthier.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    Sorry, the jerk comment was NOT for anyone else besides the person that was questioning my spelling error, again to each their own so if it works for you then great....my mission is different and it's what works for me. Good luck to all.

    I'm not sure what you were trying to say, either, from "crapping food." I couldn't tell if it was a weird form of "swearing" to get past the censor, or if you meant "crappy," in which case that wouldn't be a spelling error. Either way, it's also a really broad term to apply. I think they were looking for clarity; you calling them a jerk seemed much more uncalled for.
  • Slacker16
    Slacker16 Posts: 1,184 Member
    Today I learned that trying unfamiliar foods and recipes is awful and will make people cry.

    Some swaps I've made that worked for me:

    white rice -> brown rice -> barley
    The brown rice had to grow on me but in time I liked it better than white. Barley was an instant hit.

    cow milk -> almond or coconut milk
    I always hated cow milk, so finding a calcium source that didn't taste like water was great.

    beer -> tea
    Not a complete substitution, but replaced my nightly 6-pack with an occasional 2-3 and regular tea.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    I swapped lagers for porters and stouts with higher abv %s.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    I swapped lagers for porters and stouts with higher abv %s.

    :drinker:
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    I swapped lagers for porters and stouts with higher abv %s.

    I like this swap :drinker:
  • Mygsds
    Mygsds Posts: 1,564 Member
    Okay, spelling error no need to be a jerk about it :) And yes, ice cream is definitely not the most healthy food around but again MY opinion, don't want to start a war here :)

    if you can fit it into your calorie deficit and macros, what is so bad about it??? I am just curious why think it is not healthy...

    First of all, if people like myself who use swaps because of high cholesterol and saturated fats want to get healthier than so be it. I was given several swaps by a nutritionist to help me, and if you don't have that problem, good for you.. This is a lifestyle change. Yes I exercise , and take meds for cholesterol so this helps me by still having some of the things I love. To each his own.. Secondly, why make a big issue over a spelling error. You should check your run on sentence....
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Okay, spelling error no need to be a jerk about it :) And yes, ice cream is definitely not the most healthy food around but again MY opinion, don't want to start a war here :)

    if you can fit it into your calorie deficit and macros, what is so bad about it??? I am just curious why think it is not healthy...

    First of all, if people like myself who use swaps because of high cholesterol and saturated fats want to get healthier than so be it. I was given several swaps by a nutritionist to help me, and if you don't have that problem, good for you.. This is a lifestyle change. Yes I exercise , and take meds for cholesterol so this helps me by still having some of the things I love. To each his own.. Secondly, why make a big issue over a spelling error. You should check your run on sentence....

    still waiting for an explanation as to what is unhealthy about ice cream....
  • mlm5537
    mlm5537 Posts: 25 Member
    I've tried the zucchini vs pasta and cauliflower vs pizza crust and I just can't do it. So I only add pizza or pasta to my menu about once every two weeks and use a high fiber pasta and make homemade veggie pizza with wheat crust. Some common swaps I do make though are:

    frozen greek yogurt for ice cream
    unsweetened applesauce for oil in baking
    steak sauce (5 calories!) and greek yogurt on baked potato instead of butter/sour cream/ cheese/ bacon
    2 fig newtons instead of a handful (or more!) of cookies or other treats
    WATER for regular soda (I do have a small glass of diet, caffeine-free soda when I can't stand it anymore)
    reduced fat pretzels instead of potato chips
    veggies and hummus or tzatziki instead of chips and dip
    high protein high fiber wraps (like FlatOut) for flour tortillas

    I think the idea is just to find a plan that WORKS for you. If you get to the end of the day and you're still hungry or you're fighting yourself not to go back to the kitchen for a late night snack, you're doing something wrong. You can find a way to satisfy all of your cravings. For some of us, that means eating a larger quantity of lower calorie foods. For others, it means eating smaller amounts of more calorie dense foods. As long as you can sustain the choices you're making FOREVER (since that is the goal here!), and continue being and feeling healthy, then it is the right choice for you.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    Okay, spelling error no need to be a jerk about it :) And yes, ice cream is definitely not the most healthy food around but again MY opinion, don't want to start a war here :)

    Eons ago when I had my tonsils removed, the standard hospital fare during recovery was vanilla ice cream. The point is, ice cream is not necessarily unhealthy. A good quality ice cream or homemade ice cream made using quality ingredients has good nutritional value including high protein so it is not something that has to be eliminated from the diet. However, cheap brands use artificial colours, artificial flavours, HFCS, thickeners like carrageenan, sugar substitutes, and lower protein content These are the ice creams that should be avoided.

    FWIW, many view ice cream as a must have treat. We don't. I make homemade ice cream three or four times a year and we enjoy a rare ice cream cone with the grandkids once or twice a year. For those that do like ice cream, there's a lot worse desserts to indulge in like Boston cream pie :laugh:

    Oooh. I'm thinking about doing a Boston Cream Pie for my birthday. All those yummy, yummy eggs....
  • ObtainingBalance
    ObtainingBalance Posts: 1,446 Member
    This thread makes me sad. Good luck off to have my last chocolate of the night

    Why does it make you sad?

    People aren't saying they will never have their favourite thing ever again - but if you are going to lose weight, you are going to have to make some changes to your eating habits ( and/or do more exercise) .
    So if one of their changes is swapping, say, a regular snack of ice cream to a snack of frozen grapes, why is this sad?


    Exactly. I don't see why it should make a person sad. They never said they banned the food, they just found nice alternatives, which helps them save calories.
  • ObtainingBalance
    ObtainingBalance Posts: 1,446 Member
    One swap that makes a difference in calories, even though it's small, is switching from normal milk to skim milk or drinking almond milk.
    Finding ones that are below 100 calories vs drinking milk that has 150 calories. (this makes a difference if you like adding milk to your hot drinks, if you make low calorie hot cocoa with it, or if you drink a couple cups of milk/day)

    Also adding stevia to unsweetened things instead of buying items with large amounts of sugar.
  • rebalee8
    rebalee8 Posts: 161 Member
    Why are people so sad about what others are choosing to eat or not eat?

    Maybe hurts their feelings to not have the validation of others making the same choices?
  • Mygsds
    Mygsds Posts: 1,564 Member
    This thread makes me sad. Good luck off to have my last chocolate of the night

    Why does it make you sad?

    People aren't saying they will never have their favourite thing ever again - but if you are going to lose weight, you are going to have to make some changes to your eating habits ( and/or do more exercise) .
    So if one of their changes is swapping, say, a regular snack of ice cream to a snack of frozen grapes, why is this sad?


    Exactly. I don't see why it should make a person sad. They never said they banned the food, they just found nice alternatives, which helps them save calories.

    Thank you, nicely said
  • RachelSueMobley
    RachelSueMobley Posts: 3 Member
    single serve bowls of cereal for grab bags of chips
  • MysteriousMerlin
    MysteriousMerlin Posts: 2,270 Member
    I change out oat or whole wheat flour for 50-75% of the regular white flour in baked goods, and greek yogurt or applesauce for oil.
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
    Let's see...

    Pizza for... nope still eating it.
    Ice cream for... um... nevermind
    Alcohol for... hmm... still drinking from time to time
    Chocolate for... ARE YOU CRAZY?
    Doritos... no way am I stopping those!


    Oooh - I do have a few!!!

    Instead of a WHOLE pizza, I have two slices. usually.
    Instead of a container of ice cream, I have a small bowl.
    Don't ask about the alcohol.
    I have more dark chocolate and less chocolate bars.
    I have a handful or two of chips.. not the whole bag.

    I started taking vitamins!
    I snack on almonds
    Try to drink less coffee
    I still have fast food, but less often
    I use more barbecue sauce and less ranch dressing
    I drink more water and less pop / juice
  • sclaibo
    sclaibo Posts: 136 Member
    Great thread!

    couch for the gym
    elevator for the stairs
    pop for water
    ranch to fat free ranch
    sour cream to fat free sour cream
    white bread to whole grain white bread (still can't get down with wheat)
    pasta to whole grain pasta
    rice to brown rice
    eating out to home-cooked meals
    potatoes to sweet potatoes