SMART EATING CHOICES: SIMPLE 100-CALORIE FOOD SWAPS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Even a small change in your diet can help you lose one pound a month and the following suggestions actually work.

Healthy food swaps for breakfast and lunch aiding weight loss

Foods that work better together

Best nuts for your health

10 super healthy under-100-calorie snacks

Reach for an English muffin instead of bagel.

Replace a 3½-inch bagel with one tablespoon each fruity jam and cream cheese with a whole-wheat English muffin topped with one tablespoon of peanut butter and some fresh strawberry slices.

Reach for Greek yogurt instead of low-fat milk.

Instead of pouring half a cup of low-fat milk over a bowl of granola, sprinkle ¼ cup granola over 6-ounce bowl of Greek yogurt. Low-fat granola contains approximately 1.5 grams fat per ¼ cup that is 75% less fat than regular granola.

Reach for an orange instead of OJ.

Eating a fresh orange is much better than one cup of OJ, which contains 24 grams of sugar doubling the amount in an orange. Additionally, you’ll tack on an extra 3g fiber by eating whole fruit.

Reach for a wrap instead of bread.

Try one 8-inch 100-calorie whole wheat wrap instead of 2 slices of hearty multigrain bread for your sandwich fixings.

Reach for fresh apple slices instead of crackers.

You’ll up your daily fruit count and save on sodium by swapping wheat crackers for savory sharp cheddar with crisp apple slices. Five wheat crackers contain 200grams of sodium while one medium fresh apple has no sodium.

Reach for trail mix instead of mixed nuts.

Two handfuls of nuts are heart-healthy but heavy in calories. Downsize to one handful of nuts and add a handful of air-popped popcorn and wholegrain cereal.

Reach for dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate.

Milk chocolate contains the double amount of sugar in dark chocolate. Save 8g per ounce.

Reach for a bowl of raisin bran instead of a bran muffin.

Coffeehouse muffin can weigh in at more than 400 calories. Eat the bran with a spoon, using two-thirds cup of 1% low-fat milk.

Reach for veggies and chèvre instead of ham and cheddar.

Rebuild the three-egg omelet. Discard one of the yolks and trade the cheddar and ham for fresh spinach, tomatoes and an ounce of goat cheese. Bonus point: You’ll also save 300mg sodium.

Reach for pancakes with pecans and yogurt instead of butter and syrup.

Switch butter for nonfat Greek yogurt and swap one tablespoon of maple syrup for one tablespoon of chopped pecans. Shave off another 100 calories by making it a short stack and top with ½ cup of fresh berries.

Reach for a wholegrain variety instead of traditional trail mix.

Traditional trail mix normally includes nuts, dried fruits and chocolate containing about 350 calories per ½ cup. Cut the trail mix in half and swap in one-third cup wholegrain cereal.

Reach for edamame instead of peanuts.

Being heart-healthy but peanuts contain 200 calories per ¼ cup. Trade legume for legume with ½ cup of shelled edamame, sprinkled with one teaspoon toasted sesame seeds in order to save calories and add an extra 4-gram fiber.