By Jennie Cullinane

There is no easy way to put it: dieting sucks.  In a quest to lose weight and get healthy, we eat the same dull and flavorless foods at every meal, telling ourselves that a bowl of fiber-rich, sugar-free cereal or two-slices of turkey on whole wheat is really “hitting the spot.”  We sacrifice the taste, variety, and fun of eating and settle into a dull routine of diet foods until, inevitably, we go a little crazy and eat a whole pepperoni pizza.

Nutritionists have been telling us for years that to avoid this trap of yo-yo dieting, we need to incorporate healthy-eating strategies into our daily lives – strategies that are not only feasible but maintainable in the long term.  Obviously, that is easier said than done.  The key to these long-term nutrition strategies is learning to make a few non-overwhelming changes to your eating habits that do not demand the drastic self-control most diets demand.  By observing a few of these simple food swaps, you can still indulge in the flavor of good food without the cost of calories, fat, and sugar.

Greek yogurt instead of sour cream

A popular addition to potatoes, tacos, and salad dressings, sour cream is the kind of dangerously-versatile condiment that seems to make any food better.  But at 5 grams of fat per two tablespoons and little nutritional value, sour cream has no room in a healthy-eating plan.  But with the tart taste and smooth texture of sour cream, Greek yogurt makes an excellent substitute.  Hailed as a superfood in recent years, Greek yogurt is high in protein, low in carbs, and easy to digest even for dieters with lactose-intolerances.

What you’ll save: By replacing 2 tablespoons of sour cream with 2 tablespoons of non-fat Greek yogurt, you will save 30 calories and 5 grams of fat.  In addition, the Greek yogurt will provide the boost in protein that sour cream lacks.

Added twist: Mix with salsa or mustard for a spicy kick.  Top on a sandwich, burrito, or potato for a some added zest.  If you’re looking to rework a conventional salad dressing, mix one cup of Greek yogurt with one packet of Ranch seasoning and use as a dip or dressing for vegetables.  You’ll save more than 100 calories and 14 grams of fat per serving!

Egg whites instead of whole eggs

One whole egg contains 6 grams of protein and all nine essential amino acids.  However, with 75 calories and 5 grams of fat per egg, your routine breakfast omelet can quickly snowball into a caloric bomb.  Next time, opt for egg whites.  An egg white contains 16 calories per serving and no fat, but still contains all the protein found in a whole egg.

What you’ll save: 64 calories and 5 grams of fat

Added twist: If the taste of egg whites is too bland for you, try mixing one whole egg and with one or two servings of egg whites.  The yolk of the whole egg will provide the “eggy” taste you have come to expect in your morning meal, but – with the added bulk of the egg whites – will come at half the caloric cost.

Avocado instead of Mayonnaise

With nearly 100 percent of its calories from fat, mayonnaise is every dieter’s nightmare.  At 50 calories per tablespoon, mayonnaise can quickly load a healthy sandwich or salad with unwanted calories and heart-hurting fats.  To avoid this calorie bomb without sacrificing the addition of a creamy condiment to your sandwich, try an avocado.  1/4 of an avocado contains approximately the same amount of calories and fat as a serving of mayonnaise, but the fat in avocados are primarily monounsaturated – the “good” kind of fat that lowers cholesterol and may prevent weight gain.  In addition, avocados are an excellent source of folate and vitamin E – essential for healthy skin and hair.

What you’ll save: Although nearly equal in calories and fat grams, you will save yourself from the saturated fat and sodium of mayonnaise by opting for an avocado next time you are looking for a sandwich spread.  In addition, this swap will help you reap the benefits of avocados monounsaturated fats, high fiber content, and vitamin E.

Added twist: Instead of simply slicing an avocado, try mashing it into a creamy consistency.  Mixing in diced onions, tomatoes, or even a few twists of fresh lemon can add zest to the rich taste of an avocado, layering your meal with fun flavors without sacrificing your diet.

Cottage cheese instead of salad dressing

Salads are probably the most predictable meal option on any diet plan.  A plate of fresh vegetables provides filling fiber and a variety of vitamins at little caloric cost.  However, most dieters don’t find a plate of raw vegetables to be the most appetizing meal option.  Therefore, we dress it up, topping our salads with cream and oil-based dressings that can contain up to 200 calories and 15 grams of fat per serving.  Therein lies the paradox of healthy eating: the only way most of us can stomach a plate of nutritionally-dense raw veggies is by coating them with fattening and artery-clogging toppings.  To avoid this trap, try mixing your salad with cottage cheese.  Cottage cheese provides the same creamy texture to your salad without the added fat and sugars.  In addition, cottage cheese also contains protein.  One serving of low-fat cottage cheese contains nearly 15 grams of protein that will hold off hunger and stimulate muscle repair.

What you’ll save: By swapping salad dressing with cottage cheese, you will save 100 calories and 15 grams of fat per serving.

Added twist: Squeeze 1/4 of a lemon on top of the cottage cheese before mixing it in your salad.  The lemon zest will provide an added kick to your new salad dressing, as well as providing a boost of vitamin C.

Milk instead of juice

When straying from the diet dictates of “water, water, water!” its tempting to choose sugar dense beverages like sodas and energy drinks.  Many dieters often perceive fruit juice as a healthier alternative.  Fruit juice companies often brag that one serving of a 100 percent juice-product can substitute as a daily fruit serving.  But with sometimes triple the calories and none of the filling fiber whole fruit contains,  a cup of fruit juice is really just a cup of added sugars and empty calories.  Instead, drink skim milk.  At 90 calories per cup, skim milk provides the boost of calcium that dieters often do not get enough of and offers 9 grams of the healthy proteins you need to maintain muscle mass and hold off hunger.

What you’ll save:  By reaching for the milk jug instead of the OJ carton, you will save 75 calories and 25 carbohydrates.

Added twist: Add two table-spoons of Hershey’s chocolate syrup for a glass of chocolate milk.  The addition of chocolate will help satisfy any dieter’s sweet tooth.  And at only 90 calories per serving and 19 grams of sugar, chocolate syrup provides that sugary-kick without ruining your diet regimen.  In further defense of chocolate milk, new research shows that chocolate milk is the ideal post-workout beverage.  Milk contains both the fast-acting whey protein that triggers muscle repair and the more slowly digested casein protein that provides a steady stream of amino acids to the body.  In addition, the added sugar from the chocolate drives glucose molecules into tissue muscle and replenishes energy for your next workout.

Tips

• Beware of fat-free food items: Manufacturers often add sugar or salt to compensate for the removed fat and to boost flavor, sneaking in added sodium and carbohydrates that dieters try to avoid.  Instead, opt for low-fat products.  With usually a similar number of calories as their fat-free counterparts, low-fat products provide the same diet-friendly substitution without the added sugar.

• Choose whole grains over refined: The white flour in foods like rice, pasta, and bread have plenty of calories and little nutritional value.  By refining grains, manufacturers strip these products of the nutrients that level blood sugar, causing your glucose levels to spike shortly after finishing your meal and tricking your body into thinking its hungry again.  Unrefined grains like brown rice and whole wheat pasta still contain these natural nutrients and have a higher fiber content, staving off hunger.  However, simply choosing a wheat wrap over a white isn’t enough.  Manufacturers can still refine the grains made to use “wheat” and “grain” bread.  Make sure the label says “100 percent whole wheat” and the primary grains listed on the ingredient list are “whole.”

• Use artificial sweeteners in moderation: Sweeteners like Splenda and Sweet’n Lo are products of chemistry labs, not nature.  Introduced in the last century, our bodies have not fully evolved with these substances in our diets.  Because they are artificial, our bodies cannot easily digest these substances and some research claims this difficulty in digestion may prevent weight loss.