Losing weight doesn’t mean forcing yourself into bland meals or cutting out your favorite foods. In fact, the key to sustainable weight loss is how you tweak your food to keep it tasty and calorie-controlled. Today, there are plenty of creative options that can help you reach your weight goal without sacrificing comfort food.
What are your options if you’re serious about losing weight?
Here are some of the top choices:
1. Creative Condiments
Cutting back on high-calorie sauces is a good idea when you’re trying to lose weight, but that doesn’t mean you have to eat bland foods. Low-calorie condiments like salsa, hot sauce, or mustard are great options. A tablespoon of mustard has just 5 calories, while the same amount of mayonnaise can have up to 90 calories. If you replace mayonnaise with mustard in your sandwiches every day, you’ll save nearly 500 calories a week – the equivalent of half an hour of jogging.
Not only do these rich spices help reduce calories, they also make food more appealing, making you more satisfied and less likely to overeat. This is an effective way to “trick the taste buds” to support weight loss without creating a feeling of being forced.
2. Choose friendly fats
In a weight loss diet, many people are afraid of fat. But unsaturated fats in olive oil, avocados, nuts or fatty fish are “assistants” to keep fit. They help you feel full longer, limiting the feeling of snacking. A handful of almonds (28g) provides 14g of good fat and 6g of protein, this combination can keep you feeling full for several hours after a meal.
However, because fat is high in calories (9 calories/gram), portion control is important. Eating 1/4 of an avocado instead of a whole fruit or 1 tablespoon of olive oil instead of 3 tablespoons will help you get enough nutrients without worrying about excess energy. When used properly, healthy fats can help curb hunger and maintain a healthy weight.
3. Healthier French Fries
Snacks are always a “trap” when losing weight, especially greasy French fries. However, you can choose vegetable snacks such as kale, beets or zucchini. They are crispy, delicious but lower in calories and much more nutritious than regular French fries.
A serving of kale fries is only about 120 calories but is rich in vitamins and fiber, helping you feel full longer and eat less other foods. This is a smart choice to satisfy your snacking preferences while still staying within your daily “calorie budget”.
4. Short-ingredient snacks
Snacking is not a taboo when losing weight. The key is to choose the right kind. Products with short, natural ingredient lists are often lower in “hidden” calories. For example, a Larabar is made with only dates, peanuts, chocolate chips and sea salt, no refined sugar, no additives.
Research shows that people who eat whole, protein-rich and fiber-rich snacks tend to consume fewer calories throughout the day. Instead of packaged snacks high in salt and oil, you can choose low-sugar Greek yogurt, a small bag of nuts or plain granola. It is convenient and helps control weight better.
5. Double spice (ginger and turmeric help control hunger)
Ginger and turmeric not only add flavor, but also help with weight loss. Gingerol in ginger helps improve digestion, reduce bloating, and can also slightly increase metabolic rate. Turmeric with curcumin has anti-inflammatory properties, helping the body recover better after exercise.
Adding fresh ginger to smoothies or hot tea can help reduce cravings for sweets. And turmeric when combined with stir-fries or salads not only creates eye-catching color but also helps with better digestion. These are two inexpensive spices that have a “double” effect on both health and weight control.
6. Alternative flour
Losing weight doesn’t mean you have to completely cut out cakes. Just change the type of flour, you have a better version for your figure.
- Almond flour: rich in protein and healthy fats, creating a feeling of fullness quickly.
- Chickpea flour: low in starch but rich in fiber, helps stabilize blood sugar.
- Coconut flour: high in fiber, light, suitable for low-calorie pancakes.
Replacing part of the flour with these flours will reduce the glycemic index of the dish, limiting the condition of rapid increase in sugar and then hunger again quickly.
7. Good food for the intestines
A factor that few people pay attention to when losing weight is intestinal health. A healthy intestine means the ability to absorb nutrients optimally, avoiding excess fat accumulation.
A healthy intestinal microflora not only helps with better digestion but also affects the feeling of hunger and fullness. Probiotic foods like yogurt, kimchi and tempeh have been shown to help balance gut bacteria, which can help improve weight management. A 150g container of Greek yogurt can provide 10 billion probiotics and 15g of protein. Probiotics help reduce bloating, while protein helps keep you full. This is the perfect combination to prevent overeating. Eating the right gut foods means you’re losing weight from the “inside” rather than just cutting calories.
