Healthy Alternatives are the Secret to Success

Everyone wants to eat healthy, but no one wants to give up their favorite foods.  However there are many ways you can have your cake and eat it too when it comes to dieting.  Most diets will fail because people try to go cold turkey on their favorite foods, which will lead to cravings and uncontrollable habitual unhealthy eating.  Although I cannot offer examples of an alternative for every food out there I have come up with a good list of foods that take the place of most American favorites.

Pizza- One of the unhealthiest things out there to eat.  It’s loaded with bad fat and bad carbs which leave a lot of people feeling hungry a few hours later...... 

My alternative- There is an amazing product called Flatout bread (which I personally eat every day) which is a flat bread primarily made up of fiber and protein..... 

My favorite is the 100% whole grain with flax.  This type contain 2.5g of healthy fats, 9g of fiber, 9g of protein, only 8 net carbs and just 100 calories per piece.  For one serving take 1 Flatout and put it in the oven (350 degrees) until crispy, add ½ cup of no sugar added pasta sauce ( ragu ), ¼ cup (1 ounce) fat free cheese and 17 slices of turkey pepperoni.  This recipe contains almost no fat, it is low in carbs and high in protein.  This recipe only contains 265 calories and I promise it is a large serving. Feel free to eat 2 of them for dinner because it’s completely healthy. Change the toppings to your desire.  For sausage get lean ground turkey or extra lean ground beef. If you want steak add a lean cut of steak.

Nachos- Another very unhealthy with a large amount of fat and bad carbs.....

My alternative- Take 2 pieces of Flatout bread and cut them into squares to make nacho chips and put them in the oven until brown along the edges.  Take them out and let them cool to become crispy chips (this is also great for chips and salsa.  If you want more of a chip taste put salt on the chips before baking and they will come out tasting slightly more authentic.)  Use ½ cup (2 ounces) of fat free cheese and put it over the chips and add your desired toppings.  Lean ground turkey or extra lean ground beef, lean cut steak, and chicken all work great.  And put it in the microwave until the cheese has melted.

More healthy alternatives for everyday food - fat free cottage cheese, fat free cheese/string cheese, egg whites, turkey pepperoni, lean ground turkey or extra lean ground beef in place of ground beef, sugar free and fat free ice cream or frozen yogurt, whole grain and wheat bread/hot dog buns/hamburger buns/cold cereals, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, wild rice, fat free butter, fat free cool whip, fat free whipped cream, sugar free maple syrup, sugar free chocolate sauce, diet soft drinks, diet tea, no sugar added pasta sauce, fat free cream cheese, Flatout  sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes, natural/organic peanut butter or almond butter, no sugar added jelly, turkey sausage, fat free mayonnaise, boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs.

The options are out there and there is always a healthy alternative for everything you buy.  If you go to the store and just look at the options they have you will find that the world is jumping on the healthy bandwagon.  It’s very easy to pick something that is fat free over something that is full fat, or sugar free over things loaded with sugar.  In my experience 90% of alternatives out there taste exactly the same as the regular stuff and the other 10% will just take a little getting used to.  But the best thing about choosing these alternatives is that they can save you literally thousands of calories a week which will can equate to over a pound of fat loss!

My diet is spot on.  I eat healthy 28 days out of the month but when I feel like I need to cheat a little I get some sugar free/fat free ice cream, make healthy pizza, healthy nachos, healthy pancakes, French toast, you name it I can make a healthy version of it. Even healthy chocolate bars.  I’ll try to start posting a new recipe every week and videos of me making it.

Tony's Tip- Print out a copy of the alternatives I listed above and take it to the store with you.  Take a look at them, compare them to the regular version, and buy them if you want.  If you do you will see that there is nearly no difference in taste or texture in any of them.  Fat free products can be your biggest friend as they will save you the most calories throughout the week.

Tony isn't a licensed nutritionist yet, so he can't give anyone advice on what  to do.  Please consult your doctor for his professional opinion on a diet/nutrition program that will work for you.

Tony's blog is a journal of his experiences and what has worked for him.   He lists general guidelines and suggestions only.  He is NOT a professional.