Eat This – Not That! 21 Food Swaps for Easy Weight Loss

Diet is a dirty four-letter word! While diets can lead to weight loss, they’re usually very restrictive and unpleasant. As a result, most people only follow a diet for a short time, typically a few weeks or months.

Consequently, dieters often fail to reach their target weight, and weight regain is a common problem, too (1). Some people become “serial dieters,” hopping from one ineffective eating plan to another, never achieving the results they hope for.

As a veteran personal trainer, I’ve helped hundreds of people lose weight. However, I rarely prescribe any kind of diet. Instead, I look for ways to create a kilocalorie deficit without making sweeping changes to what my clients eat.

How? With food swaps!

Food swaps involve replacing energy-dense foods with lower-kilocalorie alternatives. A few swaps per day is usually all that’s needed to create the energy deficit that drives fat burning and weight loss (2).

In this article, I share 21 of my favorite food swaps. Use them to help you lose weight without dieting.

21 Food Swaps for Easy Weight Loss

Lose weight without dieting by swapping high-energy foods for lower-kilocalorie alternatives. Use as many swaps as you need to create a 300-500 kilocalorie shortfall. For most people, this will result in 1-2 pounds of weight loss per week.

1. Mashed Potatoes vs. Mashed Cauliflower

Mashed potatoes are the perfect comfort food. Cheap, tasty, and easy to prepare, everyone loves mashed potatoes. It’s a shame that they’re so high in kilocalories! Lightly cook and then mash some cauliflower for a smooth and creamy alternative. Season well with pepper and a little salt.

Saving per 100g = 93 kilocalories

2. Regular Pasta vs. Zucchini Noodles

Pasta is one of the world’s favorite foods. Topped with your favorite sauce, it’s ready in minutes and very satisfying. Replacing regular pasta with finely shredded and lightly cooked zucchini is an effortless way to save a significant number of kilocalories while adding an extra serving of vegetables to your meal.

Saving per 100g = 140 kilocalories

Related: Low-Carb Alternatives to Bread, Potatoes, Rice, and Pasta

3. White Rice vs. Cauliflower Rice

Rice is a staple of many cuisines and the perfect accompaniment to a multitude of meals. Unfortunately, even a small serving of rice contains a lot of unwanted kilocalories. Grated and lightly steamed or boiled cauliflower is ready in minutes and is an excellent low-kilocalorie alternative to all types of rice.  

Saving per 100g = 105 kilocalories

4. Sour Cream vs. Greek Yogurt

Creamy, tangy sour cream is the perfect topping for baked potatoes and a common ingredient in many sauces and dressings. Unfortunately, it’s also packed with kilocalories. Make the switch to Greek yogurt to save kilocalories without compromising taste.

Saving per 100g = 155 kilocalories

5. Potato Chips vs. Air-Popped Popcorn

Do you enjoy snacking while at the movies or watching TV? I know I do! Don’t let this habit derail your weight loss efforts – eat air-popped popcorn instead of conventional potato chips. Use sweet or savory flavorings to create the perfect weight-loss treat.

Saving per 100g = 149 kilocalories

6. Ground Beef (80% lean) vs. Ground Turkey (93% lean)

Despite the rise in popularity of plant-based diets, meat is still a staple for many people. This makes sense, given its high protein content and great flavor. Get all the protein with fewer kilocalories by replacing ground beef with low-fat ground turkey.

Saving per 100g = 100 kilocalories

7. Regular Cheese vs. Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese is a weight loss and bodybuilding superfood. Not only is it lower in kilocalories than regular cheese, but it’s also much higher in protein. Cottage cheese contains slow-releasing calcium caseinate or casein, making it the perfect protein for nighttime use.

Saving per 100g = 304 kilocalories

8. Ice Cream vs. Frozen Yogurt

Dieting invariably means giving up your favorite treats and desserts. It’s no wonder that so many diets end in failure! Switching from ice cream to frozen yogurt will save you a slew of kilocalories, so you can still enjoy a sweet treat while you lose weight.

Saving per 100g = 80 kilocalories

9. Butter vs. Avocado Spread

While you could just eat your bread and crackers dry, that’s a very unappealing prospect, even if you are on a diet. Switch from butter to avocado spread to not just save kilocalories but also add heart-healthy monounsaturated fats to your diet.

Saving per 100g = 557 kilocalories

10. Sugar vs. Stevia

Sugar is the epitome of empty kilocalories. It has no nutritional value but tastes great despite its high kilocalorie load. Switching from sugar to stevia will save you a lot of kilocalories while still giving you that sweetness you love.

Saving per 100g = 387 kilocalories

11. Mayonnaise vs. Mustard

In my opinion, there aren’t many foods that don’t taste better with a slathering of mayonnaise! Unfortunately, mayo is very high in fat and kilocalories. Mustard is another excellent flavor enhancer and is much more weight-loss-friendly.

Saving per 100g = 614 kilocalories

12. Cream Cheese vs. Neufchâtel Cheese

Cream cheese is a versatile ingredient used in both savory and sweet foods. However, it’s also very high in kilocalories. Neufchâtel cheese from Normandy has a similar flavor and texture but contains significantly fewer kilocalories, making it an excellent diet-friendly alternative.

Saving per 100g = 89 kilocalories

13. Whole Milk vs. Almond Milk

Milk is a bodybuilding staple and something that most people have in abundance in their refrigerators. You can save a lot of kilocalories by switching from whole milk to almond milk. However, look out for varieties with added sugar, as they are much less diet-friendly.

Saving per 100g = 46 kilocalories

14. Pork Bacon vs. Turkey Bacon

Bacon is the reason I could never be a vegan! That said, I also recognize that it’s high in kilocalories, and just a few slices can mean the difference between losing or gaining weight.  Replacing pork with turkey bacon is an easy way to save a lot of kilocalories.

Saving per 100g = 315 kilocalories

15. French Fries vs. Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Serious question – does anybody NOT like French fries? Assuming you enjoy this deep-fried delicacy, I’m sure you know they’re very high in kilocalories and banned from almost every weight loss diet. Baked sweet potato fries taste just as good and will save you a boatload of kilocalories.

Saving per 100g = 226 kilocalories

16. Dough vs. Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Pizza is one of the most diet-unfriendly foods in the world! The combination of ingredients is seemingly designed for weight gain. Save a ton of kilocalories by a) making your own and b) replacing the dough base with a cauliflower crust. Just grate some cauliflower heads, mix together with a little egg, and press into shape. Easy, healthy, and a huge kilocalorie saving.

Saving per 100g = 226 kilocalories

17. Chocolate Chip vs. Oatmeal Cookies

You won’t find cookies in many diets, but the occasional sweet treat can still be part of your weight loss eating plan. Switching from chocolate chip to oatmeal cookies will save you some valuable kilocalories so that you can enjoy this treat without the usual guilt. However, you still need to limit your intake of cookies if you want to lose those unwanted pounds!

Saving per 100g = 57 kilocalories

18. Fruit flavored vs. Plain Yogurt with Fresh Fruit

Many people eat fruit-flavored yogurt under the false impression that it’s healthy and weight-loss-friendly. Sadly, most are sweetened with sugar-laden syrups. Replace fruit-flavored yogurt with plain Greek yogurt and fresh fruit to save some valuable kilocalories.

Saving per 100g = 47 kilocalories

19. Energy Drink vs. Black Coffee

Do you need a pick-me-up? Before reaching for an energy drink, it’s important to understand that most contain sugar and unwanted kilocalories. Boost your energy the old-fashioned way with a cup of black coffee. Need a bigger boost? Try a “red eye,” a filter coffee with an espresso shot added to it.

Saving per 100g = 44 kilocalories

Related: Coffee vs. Pre-Workout: Discover the Ultimate Fuel for Peak Exercise Performance

20. Sweetened Breakfast Cereal vs. Oatmeal

It’s hard to put into words how unhealthy and fattening sweetened breakfast cereals are. Most are nothing more than candy in a box. Switch to old-fashioned oatmeal to save kilocalories, increase your fiber intake, and feel full up until lunchtime. Alternatively, try some delicious overnight oats.

Saving per 100g = 311 kilocalories

21. Whole eggs vs. Egg Whites

While I have nothing against whole eggs – they’re a bodybuilding superfood – they also contain a lot of fat and excess kilocalories. Ditching the yolks will save you lots of kilocalories and make your meals even more protein-dense. Give your dog or cat the yolks, as they’re great for their skin and fur health.

Saving per 100g = 91 kilocalories

As you can see, you don’t have to go on a diet to save kilocalories and lose weight. In fact, a few simple food swaps can save you as many kilocalories as eating much more restrictively.

A couple of food swaps per meal should be all you need to produce the weight loss you want. However, with no strict diet to follow, you’ll able to follow the food swap method for as long as it takes to reach your target weight. 

Food Swap Summary Chart

I’ve just hit you with a whole lot of information, but don’t worry – here’s a handy summary of all the food swaps covered in this article.

	Swap	Regular Food (kcal/100g)	Swap Food (kcal/100g)	Saving (kcal)
1	Mashed Potatoes vs. Mashed Cauliflower	122	29	93
2	White Rice vs. Cauliflower Rice	130	25	105
3	Regular Pasta vs. Zucchini Noodles	157	17	140
4	Sour Cream vs. Greek Yogurt	214	59	155
5	Ground Beef (80% lean) vs. Ground Turkey (93% lean)	254	154	100
6	Potato Chips vs. Air-Popped Popcorn	536	387	149
7	Regular Cheese vs. Cottage Cheese	402	98	304
8	Ice Cream vs. Frozen Yogurt	207	127	80
9	Butter vs. Avocado Spread	717	160	557
10	Sugar vs. Stevia	387	0	387
11	Mayonnaise vs. Mustard	680	66	614
12	Cream Cheese vs. Neufchâtel Cheese	342	253	89
13	Whole Milk vs. Almond Milk	61	15	46
14	Pork Bacon vs. Turkey Bacon	541	226	315
15	French Fries vs. Baked Sweet Potato Fries	312	86	226
16	Dough vs. Cauliflower Pizza Crust	266	79	187
17	Chocolate Chip vs. Oatmeal Cookies	488	431	57
18	Energy Drink vs. Black Coffee	45	1	44
19	Fruit flavored vs. Plain Yogurt with Fresh Fruit	106	59	47
20	Sweetened Breakfast Cereal vs. Oatmeal	379	68	311
21	Whole eggs vs. Egg Whites	143	52	91

Closing Thoughts

Contrary to what many people think, you don’t need to go on a diet to lose weight. In fact, published research and my personal experience suggest that diets rarely work and are more trouble than they’re worth.

Losing weight requires a long-term approach, and small, sustainable changes are far more effective than any short-term diet will ever be.

So, jump off the diet bandwagon and put some of these tried and tested food swaps to good to use. Each one is a small step toward reaching and maintaining a healthy weight.

Do you have a favorite kilocalorie-saving food swap? Share it in the comments section below!

References:

1. McEvedy SM, Sullivan-Mort G, McLean SA, Pascoe MC, Paxton SJ. Ineffectiveness of commercial weight-loss programs for achieving modest but meaningful weight loss: Systematic review and meta-analysis. J Health Psychol. 2017 Oct;22(12):1614-1627. doi: 10.1177/1359105317705983. Epub 2017 May 10. PMID: 28810454.
2. Strasser B, Spreitzer A, Haber P. Fat loss depends on energy deficit only, independently of the method for weight loss. Ann Nutr Metab. 2007;51(5):428-32. doi: 10.1159/000111162. Epub 2007 Nov 20. PMID: 18025815.

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