Examples of healthier choices??

YOu may save calories with almond milk but full cream milk is healthier unless you are lactose intolerance. Ther's not much going on in almond milk. A total waste of money in my view. At least soy tastes all right in coffee.

I'd rather eat almonds.
Learn how to love lentils, chickpeas and beans.

Look up chickpea soups such as revithosoupa and lablabi.

While certain things (like coffee) need to be made with cow's milk, I have found it incredibly helpful to substitute unsweetened original almond milk (30 calories per cup) in recipes, cereals, or hot cocoa mixes. It's very low caloric, similar in taste, and high in calcium.

I have also switched my omelets from being eggs only to including only one egg, half a cup of egg whites (67 calories, but adds a lot of volume and protein to the overall meal), veggies, and part-skim string cheese (50 calories).

Instead of making sandwiches with two slices of regular bread, I use a whole grain or light english muffin (100 calories), which is just as filling and saves me some calories as well. It's also thicker, but not as wide, which gives you less room to add high caloric fillings or spreads.

Rather than using butter (100 calories per tablespoon), I use I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Light Spread (45 calories per tablespoon and 10% Vitamin A).

Rather than sitting down with a bowl of high calorie ice cream, I savor frozen yogurt (Turkey Hill's Neapolitan is only 90 calories per 1/2 cup and has 25% calcium), or other frozen desserts such as Arctic Zero's Cookies and Cream or Coffee pint (150 calories for entire container), and So Delicious No Sugar Added Coconut Milk Ice Creams (or even their regular versions, which still have lots of filling fiber).

When preparing ground beef, you can also save a great deal of calories by selecting a leaner cut (I aim for 93% lean, 7% fat).

Another big one was switching from regular Mayonnaise to Light (90 calories per tablespoon vs only 35).

I could go on forever, but the main thing to take away is that you should always pay attention to labels, and you'll soon realize small substitutions can make the world of a difference. Cutting as little as 10 calories here and there, for example, can really add up throughout the day.

But anything can be enjoyed in moderation, so if you're going to cut something out from your diet, don't let yourself get to the point of ever feeling deprived. Make substitutions you can live with and feel good about, not something you have to force yourself to eat every day to meet your goals, because then it will only be a short-term change that sets you up for a disaster down the road.

I wish you the best of luck!

Lower calorie choices are not necessarily healthier choices. Look for nutrient rich foods that are not calorie dense. Vegetables fit this well. Replace breads with whole grains like bulgur, brown rice, etc. Look for high fiber in cereals if you must eat them. There's lots of good information at the NutritionSource.

http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/

exactly.

healthier isnt about being lower calorie. it's about getting your nutritionally needs met.

things i look for are higher fiber and protein in my meal replacement bars, and more fat and protein in my yogurt

Well...I like to snack ssooo:
Swapped out regular popcorn bags with small, mini, 100 calorie popcorn bags (Smart pop).
I replaced whole milk with skim
I make my own mochas now rather than Starbucks.
Frozen meals (Banquet or Michelina's) rather than eating out.
Weight Watchers ice cream rather than the regular.
Diet soda rather than regular.

I found that taking water with my Whiskey instead of other mixers saved me a few calories

I snack every day but HATE those tiny packets of food they call low-calorie, like weight watchers brand food or pretty much anything with a label bragging about how low in calorie it is. They are selling smaller amounts of food and charging more for it most times. My budget doesn't allow for that, and it usually leaves me hungry afterwards anyway! I use fat free dairy products and Sweetex for my coffee though.

I snack on slices of french bread toasted in the oven w/tomatoes, bit of cheese & italian herbs (my newest fav snack). Fruits, or veggies with hummus as a dip. Vanilla pudding with a chopped banana inside is amazing. Air-popped popcorn is 120 calories per 3 cups and you can season it however. I freeze banana chunks and throw it in a blender with milk, spinach, 1/16th tsp mint extract (a tiny tiny bit) & a tsp sugar/sweetener of choice and it tastes like a shamrock shake!

The only things I rely on to keep my calories down while still being able to eat is those 0 calorie 'oil' sprays for cooking, and a butter flavoured one for my popcorn.

There was a time when I could munch down an entire big bag of M&Ms in an evening. I try to limit my sugar now because, well, no self control!! So I keep fruit handy. If I get that evening sugar craving, I substitute the fruit. Nothing like going to bed without feeling guilty. I also swapped drinking milk for unsweetened tea. I'm hitting the Pike Market Spice Tea right now and will be on to the Lipton Blueberry Pomegranate next. I had milk yesterday to take my pills and didn't even enjoy it. Funny how tastes can change. But the biggest change by far is that we only eat out once or twice a week and I always ask the nutrition information before I order. OR plan it into my daily budget-o-calories. Before, we ate out all the time and nowhere near as healthy. Cooking meals at home is the best way to ensure you are able to track your eating habits. I'm down 37lbs in 3.5mos with these simple changes. Sure, I exercise a little. But for the most part it has been food choices.