One of the easiest ways to lose weight is to simply ‘upgrade’ your meals by eating a healthier alternative.

Looking for healthier alternatives to some of your favourites is super easy with Google & Pinterest full of ideas. But here are my top five kitchen swaps that will give you mega amounts of energy, nutrients, and are also delicious!

 

  1. Oats and granola are here to stay.
    Granola and oatmeal are packed with fibre, and they don’t have all of the added sugars that you’ll find in most cereals, liquid breakfast boxes or ‘health’ bars. Stick to old-fashioned, or steel cut oats. Or my personal favourite – the veganola & paleo granola from House of Health in the Central Markets. You can then use fresh fruit like berries, and banana or  even try a dollop of coconut yoghurt to get your healthy fats in!
  2. Upgrade your salad game!
    Instead of just using iceberg lettuce and cucumber for your salads, pumped them up by adding in spinach, rocket or kale. Leafy greens are packed with iron, magnesium, and vitamins A and C – so get these onto your shopping list. These days you can get bags of pre-mixed & pre-cut salads for a few dollars from Coles – so no excuses here.
  3. Pasta. You knew this one was coming.
    Regular pasta doesn’t add any benefit to your diet. Instead, try swapping white pasta for wholemeal to start off with, or if you really want to see fast results, try black bean pasta, zucchini pasta, or even spaghetti squash! These healthier options will give you more energy, and will help you avoid the bloating and crashing on the couch that happens when you overeat (which is so easy to do) with regular pasta.
  4. Oh no, not potatoes, too!
    Everyone loves mashed potatoes, but they can add on lots of calories. Instead, try mashed cauliflower! It’s a great way to get more vitamin C in your diet, and has a third of the calories. Best of all, the texture is identical to mashed potatoes, so you will hardly notice! Not ready for the cauliflower yet? Sweet potato or pumpkin are great options here too!
  5. Give margarine & butter the flick.
    Instead of using margarine or butter to cook all of your food with, try coconut oil! Not only is it a healthier alternative, but coconut oil even improves your hair, skin & nails and boosts your metabolism, helping your body to burn off body fat.

I would love to know your favourite kitchen swaps. Try them out next time you’re in the kitchen, and comment below which swaps you love!