Not-so-healthy food replacements?

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  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
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    I haven't replaced any foods. I only cut down on the amount I consumed.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
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    OP: I eat everything in moderation. As long as I meet my macros. first, then I will have ice cream, candy, cookies and cakes, etc. This is for the long term, I want to be able to go to a party and have cake, etc and enjoy myself. :bigsmile:

    OP: Noticed the weight loss tickers on the comments, yeah maybe they might just know what they are talking about. Just thought I throw that out there. :wink:
  • aarnwine2013
    aarnwine2013 Posts: 317 Member
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    I replaced a great deal of my foods. My favorite is using eggplant as the pizza crust and making kale chips in place of regular potato chips! They are so crunchy and I pefer them to regular chips.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    I only replaced things I didn't care to eat really or that were to "expensive" calorie wise for me and I found other ways to be more full eating more of something.

    I pretty much don't eat pasta anymore- it's to much work- I'm never full. so I just don't eat it- or I use spaghetti squash. If I want "spaghetti with meat sauce" I just make about 5 pounds of ground beef and some sauce on it- rather than sauce with meat in it LOL.

    I also use greek yogurt for sour cream or mayo- mostly because I use that regularly and the sour cream/mayo goes bad before I can finish it off.

    I now avoid the fully loaded ice creams- and tend to stick with ice cream that's 150 calories or less per serving size (typically 68/70 grams)... but I still eat ice cream almost every night. because it's delicious.
  • aarnwine2013
    aarnwine2013 Posts: 317 Member
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    I should also add that nothing can replace my beer! I love it. Sometimes I think I run, just so I can have beer...
  • whalesong2164
    whalesong2164 Posts: 18
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    I love lasagne but can never get it to fit into my calories count so I substituted the beef mince with turkey mince, and bechamel sauce with low fat yoghurt mixed with 2 raw eggs (pinch of mustard powder and nutmeg's a good add too). It's really tasty and low fat.

    I don't think there's anything wrong with tweaking recipes so you can still enjoy your favourite meals for less calories. That's all this post seemed to say to me. And they're definitely changes I can make for life. Not saying I'll never eat regular lasagne, just when I make it on a weekly basis for me and my other half it'll be a low fat option.
  • EandA85
    EandA85 Posts: 63 Member
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    Today I was craving my favorite breakfast sandwich - usually 450 calories for egg, sausage, cheese, panini. So I subbed out regular sausage in favor of turkey sausage and egg whites for the eggs - and got the same sandwich for 300 calories :-D

    If I really have a craving for chocolate, or ice cream, or pizza I usually try to work it into my day - it's usually about once a week that I have a meal without regard to calories. I tried zucchini noodles instead of regular a little while ago - and EW. NOT an acceptable pasta replacement for me.

    Even when I have my cheat meal though I try and pay attention to my stomach's cues - I am satisfied with a lot less volume of food than I used to be.
  • shapefitter
    shapefitter Posts: 900 Member
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    Hi OP,

    Not going to go in to the "dangers of replacing foods" debate going on up there.

    Zucchini and Eggplant are great substitutes for pasta- I haven't tried it but I've heard a lot about spaghetti squash- you basically roast it and then swipe a fork down lengthwise and the squash comes out in strips- as the name implies, like speghetti ;) Could be a good replacement as well.

    I've cut back on how much chocolate I've had- never really found a replacement for it though, just cut back and now I find I don't really crave it like how I used to.
    I've cut back on ice cream as well- still have it now and then, though I also have fro yo, ice/sorbet kinda things when I know I want a lot.
    I've replaced white bread with wheat and also most instances of using bread with wraps instead.
    Cut back on butter - usually use low fat cheese spread (laughing cow wedges are awesome but cream cheese if nothing else).
    Light mayo- hardly ever use the full fat kind anymore. I actually really prefer the taste of Knorrs light mayo over Hellman's anyway.
    I've completely replaced cream in my coffee with milk- this is one I have to stick to or I just slide right back in to it. Would rather not drink all my cals or have to work out just to support my coffee habit lol. I also went through a phase where I only drank almond milk, but it's very pricey where I am right now so had to stop that :( But I love almond milk, so delicious!!!
    Virgin coconut oil in all places where oil would otherwise be used, olive oil if the coconut just doesn't suit the food.

    Can't really think of other replacements, but I've done a lot more moderating, eating more homemade/fewer processed foods and including more fruits/veggies and dairy than all out replacing (yes, even with the changes mentioned above lol). Eating more real foods instead of things made out of pastes in factories is something I've needed to work on the most.

    ETA: technically, I guess that would be my biggest replacements- homemade instead of store/restaurant bought.... though I do still eat out way more than I should :embarassed: lol

    I don't cook, either. Have just eaten 150g of hickory bbq turkey breast chunks, cold out of the fridge, with a 150g bag of cheesy doritos. That way, I know how much, I've eaten. Once it's gone it's gone. My daily protein shake, helps me to meet my daily protein requirement, which I would've found difficult to meet otherwise. As long as I log, I make most foods fit into my macros. I don't deprive myself, of anything as long as it's fit for human consumption. I just watch macros, and that's basically all there's to it.
    Furthermore, I find supermarkets a total waste of time, as most ready made foods are full of artificial ingrediences, preservatives, etc. So, when I eat out, I usually plan ahead, what I'm ordering. Also, MFP has a good list of eating out menus.
  • Muzica1959
    Muzica1959 Posts: 206 Member
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    the worrying thing about this philosophy OP has is that you can still get fat eating 'healthy'. and it really just sounds like all she's done is removed a lot of carbs from her diet in the form of replacing pasta/pizza crust with veggie alternatives. sounds like everything else remains, the sauces/cheeses etc.

    this can still become as 'unhealthy', if not more so, if moderation is ignored. Sadly i've noticed for most people moderation doesn't factor in as much when they think the foods are 'healthy'. it tends to be an excuse to splurge or pig out.

    Your assumptions are incorrect. I make my own sauces out of just tomatoes and spices. I do not use cheese on my veggie pasta alternatives. When I do use cheese, which is very rarely, it is used sparingly. Moderation is the key to everything. And should I want pizza...real pizza...I will have it...in moderation.

    The point I was trying to get across was some substitutions are very healthy. If I can substitute a food that is vitamin and nutrient dense as opposed to one that is not...that is a good thing imho. Losing weight and becoming a healthier person is a journey AND a total lifestyle change if a person is really going for health, which I am. I've lost weight many times over using not so healthy means. I'm getting older now and health means more to me than losing weight. The nice thing is, with the changes I am making I am able to do both.
  • ValGogo
    ValGogo Posts: 2,168 Member
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    In for the Cauliflower.

    I've replaced (well i've done this a long time) water for milk in my oatmeal.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    I've swapped 100% whole wheat breads for white, and whole grain or cauliflower pizza crust for white. Whole grain, or quinoa pasta for regular. Wine for beer.
    Lower sugar sauces all around.
    The calories in all of the above are comparable. That's not what it was about for me.

    I've also swapped soda for water. And typically have more vegetables and less meat on my pizza. And more vegetables and fewer starches as sides.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
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    Mainly just switched whole grain alternatives for white ones, like pasta, and switched out other whole grains, which have more protein and fiber, instead of rice. I really like spaghetti squash, although it's not practical to cook it often, when a packet of whole grain spaghetti is in the cupboard already, so I eat the variety but I don't really substitute per se.

    Any switching out has been because DH has to really watch his sodium now, so we eat swiss cheese instead of cheddar, for example, but we still get the expensive stuff from igourmet.

    I've always eaten "healthily", just too much of it.

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