More often than not, it’s the simplest of changes that can make the biggest difference to our weight.
The NHS advises making some easy swaps that’ll help you to lead a healthier life – and even help you on a weight loss journey. Let’s get started!
Breakfast
- Swap whole milk for semi-skimmed or any lower-fat alternatives.
- Swap sugary breakfasts for a wholegrain breakfast cereal like porridge – with no added sugar of course.
- Swap full-fat greek yoghurt for lower-fat or fat-free greek yoghurt.
- Stop adding sugar on top of your breakfast – opt for some dried fruits instead.
Lunch
- Swap white bread, bagels and muffins for wholegrain varieties.
- Swap butter for reduced-fat spread.
- Swap full-fat cheeses for reduced-fat cheeses.
- Swap high salted baked beans for lower salted baked beans.
- Leave out sandwich spreads like mayo or reduce how much of it you’re putting on.
Dinner
- Swap out creamy or cheesy sauces for tomato- or vegetable-based sauces.
- Use low-fat butter and lower-fat milk when making your mashed potato.
- Choose leaner cuts of meat – you can swap streaky bacon for back bacon.
- Use a grill inside of a frying pan for your meat.
- Choose multigrain or whole wheat pasta instead of white pasta.
- Eat brown rice – which has more fibre and nutrients – instead of white rice.
- Add fresh herbs and spices instead of salt and salt-based herbs. You can also use dried herbs and spices if you don’t have fresh ones.
Drinks
- Use semi-skimmed milk or skimmed milk in your coffees and hot chocolates instead of whole milk.
- Choose drinks with ‘no added sugar’ or ‘zero sugar’.
- Swap out your sugary drinks for water or 100% fruit juice mixed with soda water.
Snacks
- Swap yoghurt-coated raisins for plain raisins.
- Swap salted nuts for unsalted nuts.
- Swap cheese straws for rice cakes with lower-fat cream cheese.
- Swap sweets for apple slices with peanut butter.
- Swap milk chocolate or white chocolate for dark chocolate.
- Swap your sea-salted crisps for kale or beetroot crisps.
- Swap fried eggs for hard-boiled eggs
These simple swaps will help you to effectively manage or lose weight. But if you need some extra help, then you should sign up for one of our FREE weight loss courses.
Sign up for a FREE weight loss course
Essex Wellbeing Service is currently offering a broad variety of free weight loss courses across Essex. Delivered in a range of formats, you have the ability to lose weight, your way. If you’re ready to lose weight and start living a happier and healthier life, click below.