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The Best Shows for Healthy Food Swaps

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The Best Shows for Healthy Food Swaps

It’s that time of year again: many of us are suddenly watching our plates, trying new foods, and making an effort to make healthier choices.  And while the excitement of resolutions can push us through the first few weeks, that motivation tends to wane as time passes.  So how do we remedy this?  New ideas can reinvigorate our goals, particularly tasty ones.  I’ve found that I’ve been able to stay on track the longest when I surround myself with new recipes that are both appetizing and good for me.

Recently I got sucked into ABC’s new show, My Diet is Better Than Yours.  It’s about five people trying to make major lifestyle changes as guided by five diet founders.  The one that struck me the most is called the “Superfood Swap Diet“, created by nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner.  It’s aim is to help you eat the foods you crave, but substituting them for healthier versions based on nutrition-packed “superfoods”.  Of all the diet plans presented I feel this is the most sustainable and satisfying for the average person.  While I may not be able to give up hamburgers, I have no problem swapping them for whole grain buns and leaner cuts of meat, for example.  So with this in mind, I’ve been searching out shows full of recipes that help solve such cravings with enticing alternatives.

Most of these shows air on Cooking Channel (CC), but there are a few options that air (or have aired) on Food Network (FN) or other network channels.  Don’t worry if you don’t get one of these channels; many full episodes and videos are available on their websites for free, in addition to nearly all of their recipes.  You can also check out their Pinterest boards (such as Hungry Girl or The Biggest Loser) for encouragement.

Cooking Shows

  • Hungry Girl (Cooking Channel) – focused on low-calorie/low-fat food swaps for all of your favorite meals
  • Not My Mama’s Meals (Cooking Channel) – Paula Deen’s son recreates her famous recipes with healthy twists
  • How to Live to 100 (Cooking Channel) – vegan and vegetarian recipes based on “superfoods”
  • Drop 5 lbs with Good Housekeeping (Cooking Channel) – a 10-episode series focused on healthy meal planning
  • Junk Food Flip (Cooking Channel) – chefs create lighter versions of restaurants’ guilty pleasures
  • Ingredient Intel (Cooking Channel) – 2-minute shorts about fresh foods and cooking fundamentals
  • Giada at Home (Food Network) – while not technically a health-based show, episodes frequently focus on lighter meals

Health & Fitness Shows

  • The Biggest Loser (NBC) – contestants compete to lose weight with the support of experienced personal trainers
  • My Diet is Better Than Yours (ABC) – contestants guided by the creators of different nutrition plans compete to see which is most effective

Previously Aired Shows – These shows are not currently airing, but have recipes and videos preserved online focused on healthy eating.

I hope this helps you stay on track with your health and fitness goals for the year!  As always, if you have any options to add to this list feel free to comment below!

10 Healthier Alternatives to Ice Cream

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Healthier Ice Cream

I am always in the mood for ice cream.  Unfortunately, as much as we all wish, it’s not best of food options.  So to kick off summer, here’s a list of my favorite healthier alternatives to ice cream:

  1. Frozen Hot Chocolate – mix diet/no sugar added/fat free hot cocoa mix, skim milk, and ice in a blender until smooth
  2. No Sugar Added Fudge Pops – these are only 40 calories/popsicle and give you your chocolate fix
  3. Homemade Juice Popsicles – fill popsicle molds with orange, grape, or apple juice (or create your own cocktail)
  4. Light Yogurt – mix light vanilla yogurt with granola or a tsp of mini m&ms to simulate a McFlurry
  5. Arctic Zero – this brand provides several flavors of protein-heavy ice cream at only 35-75 calories/serving
  6. Fruit Sorbet – try these recipes for easy peach and watermelon sorbets you can make in a blender
  7. Frozen Banana – sometimes all it takes is a cold banana to beat an ice cream craving (chocolate syrup doesn’t hurt)
  8. Fruit Smoothie – check out Pinterest for thousands of recipes for healthy fruit smoothies (like this banana one)
  9. Sugar-Free Pudding – look in your grocery aisle for tons of options for sugar-free jello pudding
  10. Ice Cream Cups – if nothing else will do, try a mini ice cream cup from the freezer aisle (just stick to one)

I hope this can help your summer cravings!

Quick 10: Healthier Alternatives to Pizza

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Healthier Pizza

My husband would be the first to tell you that, no matter how much I try to eat healthy, I almost always cave to pizza night.  Maybe it’s a New York thing.  If you’re battling pizza cravings as well, here are some healthier alternatives:

  1. Tortilla Pizza
  2. Matzah Pizza
  3. English Muffin Pizza (whole wheat/multigrain muffins are best!)
  4. Pizza Rolls (use reduced fat crescent dough)
  5. Margherita Sandwich
  6. Margherita Pasta
  7. Gourmet Flatbread Pizza
  8. Pizza Stuffed Peppers
  9. Cauliflower/Zucchini Crust Pizza
  10. Sausage Pizza Burger – Pile a turkey sausage patty, pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, and all the veggie toppings you like on a whole wheat bun

All of these recipes can be made healthier with low fat mozzarella cheese (go light!) and homemade pizza sauce.  They’re great ways to indulge your craving without completely straying from your nutrition goals.  So next time you’re looking to order in, try out one of these recipes instead!

For more ideas on how you can beat food cravings and use them to your advantage, check out my post on the Food Swap Plan!

30 Resources to Teach Yourself Better Nutrition

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It seems that almost anywhere you turn there is an article or news report trying to tell you what the latest “miracle solution” is to eating healthier.   Gluten-free, Paleo, and Atkins are just a few popular examples of diets promising that if you restrict certain food groups you’ll quickly reach your goal weight.  While there are some advantages to these diet plans, I feel that, as a society, we’re too focused on a perfect plan being handed to us in a simple package.  Instead of relying on science-based facts, we often fall prey to advertising and headlines.  We need to make informed decisions for ourselves on how we should approach our diets.  We need to understand how nutrition affects our bodies and use that knowledge to make intelligent choices about what we eat.

Nutrition

The good news?  It’s easy to find information on human nutrition and healthy eating habits.  Below I’ve compiled a series of agency guidelines, open courseware, and dietary resources that will teach you (for free) all about the foundations of a healthy diet and the mechanics of how the body functions.  These include dietary guidelines, nutritional science, childhood nutrition, meal planning, portion sizes, recipes, and more.  Pay attention to recommendations for specific medical conditions, such as heart health, diabetes, and allergies.  And remember, if you have questions it is always best to speak with your doctor to determine the best plan of action for you.

So browse through the following resources and bookmark your favorites (mine are marked with a ***).  Don’t get overwhelmed – learn a topic at a time.  I promise, it’ll be worth it when you can use this new knowledge as a basis for planning out your ideal diet.

Open Courseware

  1. Tufts University: Foundations of Nutrition Science***
  2. Johns Hopkins University: Principles of Human Nutrition***
  3. EdX: Introduction to Nutrition – Food for Health
  4. UC Berkeley Introduction to Human Nutrition (Podcast)
  5. The Open University: Nutrition: Vitamins and Minerals
  6. The Open University: Obesity: Balanced Diets and Treatment
  7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Nutrition Research Institute (Seminars)
  8. Johns Hopkins University: Critical Analysis of Popular Diets and Dietary Supplements
  9. MIT: Food for Thought: Writing and Reading about the Cultures of Food
  10. 25 Excellent Open Courseware Classes on Nutrition and Healthy Eating

Agencies/Organizations

  1. American Heart Association: Nutrition Center***
  2. Mayo Clinic: Nutrition and Healthy Eating***
  3. U.S. Dept of Agriculture (USDA): Dietary Guidelines for Americans***
  4. U.S. Dept of Agriculture (USDA): Choose My Plate***
  5. U.S. Dept of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (video)
  6. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Food
  7. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Nutrition for Everyone
  8. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Healthy Weight
  9. Nutrition.gov
  10. USA.gov: Food, Nutrition, and Fitness
  11. American Society for Nutrition: “Nutrition Talks” (podcast)
  12. National Institute of Health (NIH) Medline Plus: Nutrition
  13. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  14. World Health Organization: Nutrition
  15. California Dept of Education: Nutrition
  16. School Nutrition Association: Nutrition, Nutrition Education & Physical Activity

Resources

  1. Harvard School of Public Health: The Nutrition Source***
  2. Oregon State University: Eat Well for Less***
  3. WebMD: Living Healthy
  4. Nutrition Journal

 

Do you have any sites you’d like to add?  Please share in the comments below and subscribe to the email list to stay informed of more health lists in the future!

 

Get Healthy Without Diets: The Food Swap Plan

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I refuse to go on another diet.  I spend weeks eating miserably while convincing myself that the trade will pay off, only to rebound once the slightest distraction comes my way.  And all that effort in restricting calories or scorning food groups has never truly paid off.  It’s not a sustainable way to eat, let alone live.  That’s why nutritionists and health experts speak of “lifestyle changes”: changes that focus on the big picture goals of getting healthier and feeling happier based on smart, permanent choices.  With that, I feel that I’ve finally found a way to eat what I enjoy and manage my cravings.  I’m calling it my “Food Swap Plan”.

This is stating the obvious, but I am not a nutritionist or physician.  Before starting a new routine it is always advised to speak to your doctor in order to choose the best and safest approach.  I can only say that, so far, this approach has been working for me and others.  Of course, there are several great resources you can find online that will teach you more about nutrition.  I suggest you take a look at them in order to better understand your health.  I will share some of my favorite sources with you in a future post.

So here’s the idea: swap your normal diet for progressively healthier variations on your favorite dishes.  While “healthy” foods can sometimes seem bland or unappetizing, if they are based around your cravings and preferred foods they become much more palatable.  And by making gradual changes that integrate with your existing lifestyle you can enact sustainable routines.  Swapping out versions of meals and cooking methods lets you still eat what you like without barring your efforts to get healthy.

Example: this week I was craving chicken tenders and fries (one of my favorites).  That would be a 760 calorie meal from McDonald’s (3 tenders, medium fries) or a 1,110 calorie meal from Applebee’s (chicken tenders basket).  Instead, however, I made baked chicken nuggets with polenta fries.  I had a full plate for only 450 calories, not to mention all the sodium and fat savings.  And the best part was that I didn’t feel deprived; my craving was abated and I felt awesome knowing I could enjoy my meal without guilt.

Here’s how to get started:

1) Start a food journal – even if it’s only for a week or two, logging your meals helps you to be fully conscious of what you’re eating now. Make sure to include amounts and detail what your situation and emotions were at the time, particularly for snacks.  My Fitness Pal is a great app for keeping track of your intake.

2) Identify your typical cravings and favorite foods – make a list by meal so that you know what types of new recipes/strategies you’ll need to find.

3) Identify your dietary needs – work with your doctor to determine your nutritional requirements (calories, proteins, fats, vitamins, etc). This will help you establish your goals.

4) Research your food swaps – Think of your favorite foods and find healthier versions of those meals (e.g. baked for fried, herbs for salt, diet or water for soda). If making a big change isn’t appealing just yet, focus on incremental ones (small order of fries instead of medium, one less slice of pizza).  Any progress is additive, so take on a challenge within your reach.

5) Create meal “menus” – list a few of your favorite healthy options for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. Doing this helps me focus my energy on varying dinner, while maintaining easy routines for my other meals.  For example, for breakfast I rotate between an English muffin with light cream cheese, oatmeal, or scrambled eggs.  I don’t have to think much about my morning intake because I just pick one of those off the menu.

6) Find new recipes! – Look for healthy recipes you’re actually willing to try and have time to prepare.  There’s no excuse – the web is full of sites with easy instructions for all types of foods.  Start by looking for variations on your favorites and do your homework to ensure that they’re actually better options.  Store them where you can quickly find them (check out my post on organizing your Pinterest recipes).  If you’re excited to try a recipe, you won’t mind missing out on a bit of the bad stuff.

Taking this approach has helped me lose nearly 10lbs in the past six weeks.  My husband has lost even more because he combines it with plenty of exercise.  And like I said, we don’t feel deprived in any way; if we have a craving, we find a meal to satisfy it.  Here’s why it’s working for us:

  • No food restrictions = no overcompensating. We don’t avoid any food group specifically, so we’re not tempted to overindulge when given the opportunity.

 

  • We focus on eating what we like. I am a notorious picky-eater, so searching out new recipes for my favorite foods instead of force-feeding myself salad greens keeps me happy.

 

  • We maintain a “free day”. On Saturdays (and sometimes Sundays) we loosen up and don’t hold ourselves to our routine.  If I find an indulgent recipe that I really want to try, we save it for the weekend (like my homemade brownie sundaes).

 

  • We maintain variety. While we keep mini menus for our other meals, we really try to vary dinner with new recipes day-to-day while keeping a protein + vegetable framework.  It gives us something to look forward to at the end of the day.

 

  • It takes advantage of creativity. This keeps us interested, as we’re always finding new ways to make our favorite foods.

 

  • It’s sustainable. We’re content in what we’re eating, so we’re comfortable in this as a long-term effort.  That’s what makes it attainable as a lifestyle change.

 

  • It’s not a “diet”. We don’t consider this a “diet” at all (you know the kind I’m talking about), and we don’t expect the fast results that such programs claim to offer.  Thus there is no pressure to achieve a quick turnaround and we can appreciate healthy, gradual changes.

Here are a few more tips:

  • Add an exercise routine to your program in order to achieve the best results.
  • Combine your approach with meal-planning strategies to get ahead of cravings.
  • Purge your house of junk food before trying to start these changes (trust me, “out of sight” really does help with the “out of mind” bit).
  • If one swap doesn’t work, try another (some people like cauliflower pizza, and others just don’t).
  • Collect your recipes in one place for easy access.
  • Rotate 3-5 option for breakfast, lunch, and snacks.
  • Find “mindless” methods for improving your eating habits, such as portion guidelines and plate sizing.
  • Make changes at your own speed. Some people are successful with big changes, while others need to take smaller steps to reach their goals.  Don’t lose heart – it all adds up.

I will add posts to the subject of this “food swap plan” as I continue to explore it, including sources for nutritional facts, easy food swaps, and my favorite recipes.  Sign up for the email list for more information and ideas.  If you have any suggestions, please share them in the comments below!