16 Healthy Substitutions To Shed Those Extra Pounds

1. Green Tea – Drink green tea instead of coffee. Try to fade off of that caffeine addiction. Green tea has way too many benefits to ignore its presence on the menu. Instead of having a coffee in the morning, drink unsweetened green tea. You an even buy the Green Tea Matcha powder at home and make your own drinks.

2. No Sugar – Try to avoid adding sugar to your everyday life. Use honey or herbal sweeteners. Avoid the soda/pop beverages- drink iced tea or 100% freshly squeezed juices for a healthier substitution.

3. Whole Wheat – When you’re buying bread, don’t be racist against the whole grains. White loaves may taste better but they’re empty and not fulfilling for your diet. Try multi-grain bread or bread with quinoa and flax seeds.

4. No Pasta – Pasta has a huge amount of calories. Next time you think about cooking something at home, try cooking couscous, quinoa or the healthy multi-grain brown rice. They offer a lot more nutritional value than pasta.

5. Stairs – When you’re confronted with the escalator/elevator versus stairs, just act like the stairs are the only thing that exist and make a beeline towards them. Every little bit of exercise counts. Instead of taking the bus to a close-by area, take a walk. It won’t hurt. You can even download the little app called Moves which tracks your every step so you can get excited each time you beat your record.

6. Exercise – Besides the simple ways of exercising, substitute sitting inside, watching TV or playing video games with taking a jog or signing up for a yoga class. In the summer, trade your car pooling for a bike ride so you can work those muscles out.

7. Munchies – Yes we all get those cravings in the night for candy and snacks but try to stock up on some whole grain multi-crackers, celery sticks, granola bars, almonds, or anything that you know will be 10x healthier than a snickers bar. Avoid buying the snacks in the first place at the grocery- that way when you’re starving, you won’t have much of a choice

8. Yogurt – Use yogurt instead of sour cream for dips. Try to cut out the flavored yogurt as well- Natural unsweetened yogurt with active bacterial cultures, as weird as it may sound, is definitely the best one. Eat this as a nighttime snack, breakfast in the morning or even at the side of a salmon dish. s

9. Grill/Steam – Stop the frying and the batter-baking. Steam all your vegetables or grill them. Grilling is always a better option.

10. Olive oil – Olive oil is not only good for your hair but for cooking purposes as well. It can prevent heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Applesauce is also a good replacement for baking oil. Plus, it adds that natural sweetener so you can cut out the added sugar.

11. Jam – Don’t get your bagels toasted with light butter. Use unsweetened jam instead. They come in a variety of flavors – Blueberry, Strawberry, Multi-berry, you name it. There are also other things you can eat with your toast like a rich avocado or tuna paste.

12. Milk – Don’t get the creamiest, thickest milk out there. Just buy the evaporated skimmed milk so you won’t even think about drinking anything else. To me, it tastes the same and it feels better knowing you’re drinking milk without the extra load of fat.

13. Fruits – Your diet should include fruits. Fruits are light, fat free, fulfilling and they even contain water to quench your underlying thirst. Instead of eating bacon, eggs and toast in the morning, grab a few fruits to munch on.

14. Popsicles – Instead of buying the ready-made popsicles in the supermarket, make your own at home. Blend up some fruits, vegetables, juices, and make some popsicles yourself.

15. Vegan – Not all of us can be vegan for a lifetime but you should at least try to cut meat out for 3-6 consecutive months just to see the difference it makes. The vegan or vegetarian lifestyle is a perfect substitution if you want to cut those extra pounds or increase your life span. Don’t forget to take vitamin supplements if you do.

16. Water – When in doubt on what drink to order, just ask for a glass of water with a lemon or a fruit at the side. It’s much healthier than order a coke or a sprite. You can flavor your own water at home by filling up a jug and adding cucumber, lemon or strawberry slices. Always carry a bottle of water around with you so you’ll never be tempted by the outside world of drinks.