Scottsdale Weightloss Center

Slimming Down Old Favorites

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Medical weight loss programs aren’t designed to last forever, but the strategies that you learn and the changes that you make in your dieting and exercise habits are meant to stick. Following your weight loss doctor’s advice about what to eat and what to stay away from during your weight loss program can help you reach your weight loss goal, and to keep the weight off long-term you’ll want to keep many of those strategies in play long after your weight loss program officially comes to an end.

That doesn’t mean that you have to say goodbye to your favorite flavors for good!

Learning how to enjoy your favorite foods in new, healthy ways can help you stay motivated and satisfied with your weight loss plan. There are plenty of ways to do this! It all depends on what flavors you enjoy, and how much time you are willing to invest in preparing your meals to be both healthy and enjoyable.

How to Slim Down Recipes

Everyone has a few favorite dishes that they crave, especially after a long day or when the weather starts to cool down. Substituting the unhealthy ingredients in many of those dishes can help you enjoy your favorite flavors without all of the added calories. This makes it possible for you to have your favorite meals more often, without having to feel so guilty about it.

You can make any dish healthier by using the following substitutions:

  • Swap out whole milk for skim milk or almond milk
  • Switch in yogurt for mayo or sour cream
  • Use cottage cheese instead of cream cheese
  • Try using broth instead of gravy
  • Use fat-free half and half instead of heavy cream in pasta sauces and soups
  • Try vegetable or edamame pasta instead of traditional pasta noodles

In addition to the above substitutions, you can often adjust recipes slightly without altering much flavor by making the following reductions:

  • Cut sugar in baked products by ¼
  • Reduce oil or shortening in baked goods by ¼
  • Use egg whites instead of egg yolks in baked goods. (A recipe that calls for 3 whole eggs will
  • Work fine with 3 egg whites and 1 yolk, so 1 whole egg plus two additional whites).
  • Remove nuts from baked goods recipes

You can also try making some fundamental adjustments to your favorite dishes to get similar flavors without the added fats and calories. For example, you can still enjoy the flavors of a chicken parmesan sub by switching from fried chicken to grilled chicken, making your own tomato sauce that is sugar free, using fat-free cheese, and having just one small dinner roll to go with it instead of having the whole mess on a large bun. Making changes like this can help you stay motivated to lose weight while happy with your meal choices. Talk to your weight loss doctor about what foods you should be looking to include and exclude from your diet as you are losing weight.

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