There are some foods that we turn to when we’re feeling unwell. These foods give us warmth and a feeling of ‘home.’ However, most of the food we consider our comfort food are laden with fat and are packed with a ton of calories.
While they’re good to enjoy from time to time, eating them on a regular basis can halt your weight loss journey. To help you out on your journey to a healthier lifestyle, our Foothills Weight Loss Surgeons team has compiled a list of healthier alternatives of your favorite food:
A whole wheat option or cauliflower crust pizza with more veggies
If you enjoy pizza like many people do, you may want to opt for a whole wheat or cauliflower crust pizza. In this way, you’re adding more fiber (which adds bulk) and nutrition.
Instead of going all out with meat toppings and cheese, you may want to add more veggies and a little less of the cheese.
Cheese may be a source of protein but you can easily eat a lot of it, racking up your calories for the day.
Swap your usual russet potato for sweet potato
Craving for starch from potatoes? A sweet potato can satisfy it too. It’s starchy but it offers more nutrients such as more vitamins A and C and calcium.
You can cook it the way you cook your russet potatoes. You can mash it, turn it into fries, make a loaded meal out of it, and a lot more! You can even use sweet potatoes for making brownies and bread.
Try more filling tacos
Taco Tuesday, anyone?
Tacos are good, tasty meals, but if you’re trying to cut on calories and eat healthier, you may want to swap your usual taco shell with whole wheat ones. Better yet, if you want more fiber, try lettuce ‘cups’ instead.
Use lean protein sources for your meat such as fish or chicken. From time to time, you may also want to switch to plant-based sources such as beans and lentils. You can cut back on your fat intake (and calories too) by opting for less cheese and using plain Greek nonfat yogurt instead of sour cream.
Add something good to your treats
Cookies and other baked treats are often perceived as ‘bad food’ especially for someone who is trying to lose weight. Totally avoiding one food group can sometimes do more harm than good as it can lead you to binge eat.
Instead of ignoring your sweet tooth, why not add something good in your occasional treats? You can add veggies or even cooked brownies using black beans.
If you’re trying to cut back on your saturated fat, you can swap a portion of the butter in the recipe for unsweetened applesauce, banana, or avocado. These alternatives still leave your baked products moist, without adding a ton more calories.
With these suggestions, you can see that your favorite foods can still be enjoyed without abandoning your weight loss goals. If you’ve struggled with weight loss long term and it’s affecting your life and health, the team of Foothills Weight Loss Surgeons in Knoxville may be able to help you. Our bariatric program can help you lose weight for good. Visit our Get Started page to learn how: https://www.foothillsweightloss.com/get-started/
Foothills Weight Loss Surgeons is part of Premier Surgical Bariatrics in Knoxville, Tennessee. Foothills is affiliated with the Fort Sander Center for Bariatric Surgery, an accredited MBSAQIP center.