The Hungry Girl Diet: Big Portions. Big Results. Drop 10 Pounds in 4 Weeks (20 page)
Read The Hungry Girl Diet: Big Portions. Big Results. Drop 10 Pounds in 4 Weeks Online
Authors: Lisa Lillien
Fat-Free Liquid Egg Substitute
This is one of the easiest and most effective swaps you can make. Just replace each egg in a recipe with ¼ cup of the substitute. You’ll save around 45 calories and 5 grams of fat for each egg you swap out, and those numbers add up fast! Egg Beaters Original is my go-to egg substitute. It’s essentially egg whites with a few added nutrients. Use it in pretty much any recipe that calls for eggs. Egg whites work, too.
Instead of Regular Ground Beef …
Extra-Lean Ground Beef, Lean Ground Turkey, or Ground-Beef-Style Soy Crumbles
Extra-lean beef (4 percent fat or less) will save you major calories and fat while maintaining that real beef flavor. Lean turkey (7 percent fat or less) is also an excellent guilt-free alternative, and it tastes much better than extra-lean ground turkey. By the way, regular (not lean) ground turkey can have as many calories and fat grams as regular ground beef, so don’t make the mistake of grabbing it at the market. Soy crumbles (like the ones from Boca and MorningStar Farms) will slim down your dish the most, and they have a great beefy taste—just thaw them, season them, and use like cooked ground beef!
Instead of Pasta.…
House Foods Tofu Shirataki Noodle Substitute
It’s AMAZING that an entire bag of these noodles has only 20 calories. Use them to make fettuccine Alfredo (
here
) or the lightest lo mein in the universe (
here
). Just rinse, drain, and dry them thoroughly for optimal results. Other pasta swaps to consider? Spaghetti squash (completely AMAZING!), zucchini (cut into ribbons), and broccoli cole slaw (a Hungry Girl staple). Use ’em solo, or mix them with real noodles.
Instead of Sour Cream …
Fat-Free Greek Yogurt
To be fair, this stuff is much more than a swap for sour cream. It’s perfect for creamy scoopable salads, breakfast bowls, and straight-up snacking. It ALSO happens to pack the creaminess and zing of sour cream with the added bonus of lots of protein, few calories, and no fat. Fat-free Greek yogurt is a total SUPERSTAR.
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MAGICAL FOOD EXPANDERS
Portabellas and More Mushrooms!
One large portabella mushroom or 2 cups of chopped mushrooms has roughly 35 calories, 2 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of protein. Mushrooms are especially good at expanding meat dishes, like fajitas, meatloaves, and
beef tacos
. The texture and taste work perfectly with beef.
Zucchini!
A medium zucchini has around 30 calories, 2 grams of fiber, and 2.5 grams of protein. So what can it expand? Pasta! Whether it’s thinly peeled like fettuccine or cut into slabs similar to lasagna noodles, zucchini does a masterful job of impersonating pasta for hardly any calories at all. Brilliant!
Cauliflower!
A cup of chopped cauliflower has about 30 calories, 2 grams of fiber, and 2 grams of protein. And its expanding ability is the stuff of legend. Cauliflower is a go-to super-sizer when it comes to starchy dishes—anything with potatoes, pasta, or rice. It blends in seamlessly …
Broccoli Cole Slaw!
This mix of shredded broccoli stems with other veggies clocks in at 25 calories, 3 grams of fiber, and 2 grams of protein per cup. Plus, it couldn’t be more convenient. Pre-shredded, pre-washed … Some can even be steamed in the bag. Use it to expand spaghetti dishes, stir-frys, and even meatloaf!
94% Fat-Free Microwave Popcorn!
You can eat about 5 cups of this popcorn for 100 calories and 1.5 grams of fat, plus 4 grams of fiber. For a large-and-in-charge snack mix, combine popcorn with measured amounts of delicious (yet somewhat calorie-dense) goodies like nuts, mini chocolate chips, and cereal.
Frozen-Meal Filler-Uppers!
Light entrées from the freezer aisle can be great when you’re in a hurry, but the portion sizes can be pretty small. Adding vegetables is an easy way to make ’em more substantial. And since those dinners typically come with a LOT of sauce, you can easily stir in some microwaved frozen veggies. For pasta-based meals, I like to add steamed broccoli cole slaw or bean sprouts (not alfalfa sprouts—bean sprouts are more substantial and taste better here). These have a similar texture to noodles, and the bean sprouts work perfectly in Asian-style dinners!
BETTER-FOR-YOU CRAVING-BUSTERS
Pizza
I like to keep single-serving, heat-and-eat, better-for-you pizza options on hand. There are many solid options in the freezer aisle. Seek out ones that have 300 calories or less and no more than 10 grams of fat—a few grams of fiber is a plus!
D.I.Y.…
Pizza-fied Chicken with Saucy Spaghetti Swap
Perfect Pizza-bella
Ice Cream
Light ice cream is an obvious (and delicious!) choice. But I tend to go for portion-controlled picks, since ice cream is one of the most commonly over-served foods. (Take a second to envision half a cup of it. It’s probably WAY smaller than the amount of ice cream you typically scoop into your dessert bowl!) Go for light ice cream bars, low-fat ice cream sandwiches, low-fat fudge pops, or individual cups of light ice cream. Keep the calorie counts at 150 or less per serving.
French Fries
Your best weapons here are a big knife, an oven, and the right vegetables. Butternut squash and carrots make much lighter fries than conventional fried spuds. Just cut, bake, and eat. You can enjoy these alone as a fry swap, or bake and mix them with real potatoes that have been cut into fry shapes. It’s all good!
D.I.Y.…
Chocolatey Desserts
For chocolate-cake cravings, find options that have 100 calories or less and lots of fiber. Vitalicious treats—VitaTops, Mini VitaCakes, VitaBrownies, etc.—fit the bill and are some of my favorites! There are also MANY options for frozen low-fat fudge bars. And if you just want something warm and chocolatey to sip, grab a packet of hot cocoa mix with 30 calories or less.
D.I.Y.…
Chocolate-Chip-Stuffed Strawberries
Potato Chips
I love baked chips (regular and tortilla) as well as popped chips! Look for 100-calorie bags to keep portions in check. I’m also a fan of 94% fat-free microwave popcorn (look for mini bags) when cravings for crunchy snacks hit.
D.I.Y.…
Pies and Pastries
I like to create guilt-free baked goodies using store-bought reduced-fat dough and mini fillo shells. Not looking to cook? Try dessert-flavored light yogurt, and snack bars in decadent, pastry-like flavors.
D.I.Y.…
FOOD FAKERS
These are foods that SOUND like they should be smart options but they’re not. Don’t be fooled …
Restaurant Salads
Despite what you may have thought for most of your life, salads are NOT always a safe choice when dining out. Full-fat dressing, cheese, fried toppings, and more can all contribute to sky-high calorie counts. Even the most innocent-sounding salads can be full-on nutritional nightmares. Read menus carefully, and pay attention to what comes on that salad. Don’t be afraid to make special requests when it comes to leaving things off your greens. As for dressing, find a light option and get it on the side. Then dip, don’t pour …
Flavored Water
Many products call themselves “water,” even when they’re fully flavored and sweetened. Some of these are reasonable options and some of them are not. Many popular “water” beverages have 50 calories per 8-ounce serving … but the standard 20-ounce bottles have 125 calories each, not to mention more than 30 grams of sugar! Read those labels …
Turkey, Fish, and Veggie Burgers
In general, yes—turkey, fish, and veggie options are often lighter than fatty beef dishes served at restaurants. But they’re not always as guilt-free as they sound. Do your research first, and see if you can find the nutritional info beforehand. No time? Make special requests—ask for the burger wrapped in lettuce leaves instead of a bun, skip the cheese, and top it with tomatoes and onions!
Veggie Chips/Crisps
Just because a crunchy snack has “veggie” in its name, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for you. Sometimes these things are simply veggie flavored and contain a scant amount of real vegetables. Plus, they’re typically fattening due to an abundance of that three-letter chip foe—OIL. Even the healthiest food in the world will become fatty and high in calories if it’s fried in too much oil.
Smoothies
“Smoothie” is one of those terms with a health halo over it, meaning it sounds more nutritious than it actually is. Not all smoothies are smart choices. Many of them have WAY too much added sugar (sometimes in the form of straight-up syrup) and other high-calorie add-ins. Plus, they’re often too large and tossed back like basic beverages when they’re more like meal replacements or substantial snacks. (Click
here
for a 100-calorie smoothie!)
Granola
Oats and grains are great for you … just not when they’re coated with lots of sugar and cooked in too much oil or butter. And while granola is okay in small portions, many people eat it like cereal, so the calories add up FAST. Even low-fat granola typically has close to 400 calories per cup! This is yet another case in which you NEED to check the labels. Don’t just check the calories and fat content, though. Take a look at the serving size, because it’s typically VERY small …
Dried Fruit
While fruit is great for you, tiny servings with too many calories are not. A third of a cup of raisins isn’t much, yet it contains more calories than THREE CUPS of fresh strawberries. Plus, dried fruit is sometimes sweetened with sugar. One of the worst offenders is banana chips; not only are they sugary, but they’re also usually FRIED. Crave dehydrated fruit? Go for freeze-dried. Store shelves are packed with great options that have big portion sizes, small calorie counts, and no added sugar. Plus, crunchy foods are more fun to eat.
Not-So-Single Servings
Just because something LOOKS like one serving doesn’t mean it is “one serving” (as defined by the nutritional panel). Deceptive packaging doesn’t always mean those foods are off-limits, but be smart: Check the Servings Per Container portion of the nutrition panel, and do a little math if need be. Canned soup is a great example, since most people consume the entire two-serving can. A can of low-fat soup can still be a good choice, but remember to multiply the stats.
EMERGENCY SNACKS
These are guilt-free foods that can be stored in a backpack, purse, mini fridge, or desk drawer. They’re your best defense against bad decisions when hunger unexpectedly hits. Here’s a rundown of the best emergency snacks to have around …
Filling Snack Bars with Protein and Fiber
These aren’t just for cases of idle munchies. These are meant to annihilate your hunger. And since there are SO many bars out there, I’m naming names here. Fruit ’n nut bars (like the ones from Kind) hold up well on the go and taste great. Crunchy granola bars (like the twofers sold by Nature Valley) are another smart choice. But my number-one brand of stashable snack bars? Quest Bars. The texture is perfect, the flavors are AMAZING, and the protein and fiber counts are through the roof. In general, I stick with bars that have 200 calories or less.
Salty Crunchy Snacks
Sure, you can get crunch from vegetables—but sometimes chips are the only answer. Since they’re a trigger food for me, when I DO indulge in salty, crunchy snack foods, I stick with 100-calorie bags of lightened-up versions. Another favorite of mine? Seaweed snacks! If you haven’t tried these yet, I suggest you do. Even if you think you don’t like seaweed, you might fall in love with these seasoned-up crispy snacks. Yum!
Fresh Fruit
Fuji apples are a consistent favorite of mine, bananas and oranges are excellent grab-n-go picks (since they come in their own cases!), and tossing a bunch of grapes into a baggie or sealable container is always a nice, simple snack. You’ll almost never find me without a giant apple nearby … I eat one pretty much every day!
Ready-to-Eat Veggies
It’s easy to say, “Cut up vegetables! Snack on them!” But then comes the response, “I like veggies but don’t have time to chop them every morning.” Instead of just NOT eating veggies, find choices that require less prep—cherry tomatoes, snap peas, baby carrots, or even pre-cut broccoli florets. Another staple emergency snack!
100-Calorie Packs of Nuts
A bag of portion-controlled nuts is a wonderful snack—filling, loaded with nutrients,
and
easy to stash. Plus, it’s pretty hard to crush one to smithereens, no matter how full your purse/backpack/briefcase is. If you want to save cash, buy a giant bag of nuts, and
immediately
divvy it up. You can have around ½ ounce of almonds or pistachios (about 12 almonds or 24 pistachios) for a hundred calories.
Some Refrigeration Required …
Light dairy snacks deserve their own shelf in the fridge. Mini Babybel, the beloved line of wax-coated cheese wheels, is a personal favorite. Light string cheese is another staple of mine. And both of those will be fine in your purse for short excursions. When it comes to yogurt, I’m never without fat-free Greek yogurt and traditional fat-free yogurt. Those 6-ounce containers are perfect for snacking.
