Swap this> for that. (pt.1)

Refined Grains> Whole Grains

Refined grains (white rice, pasta bread and other products made with white flour)

During the refining process, however, the bran and germ (most nutritious) are removed from the whole grain.

Whole grains (Oats, brown rice, whole wheat bread, pasta and flour) contain concentrated amounts of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Both of these carbohydrates make a big difference in the way you metabolize food and in the amount of energy you have. Refined grains, such as white bread and pasta, are quickly digested into simple sugars and absorbed into your bloodstream, which causes blood-sugar levels to spike and then quickly crash. These can drain your energy and leave you feeling moody and tired. They may also stand in the way of weight loss because they are low in fiber and are not as filling as whole grains and are much easier to overeat.

High-quality carbohydrates such as whole grains are rich in fiber, which helps temper blood sugars by slowing the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream after meals. They provide long lasting energy that will keep you fueled for hours.

So in short pick foods are whole grain and high in fiber. Most foods that are whole grain are also high in protein. You don’t have to rid bread or pasta from your diet, just pick whole grains over refined grains. For example, instead of wonder bread, which is made with white flour, pick Nature’s Own 100% whole wheat bread that is high in protein and fiber.

Info from http://www.joybauer.com/food-articles/refined-grains.aspx

Sour Cream > Greek Yogurt

Sour cream- It’s high in fat and low in protein. Just 2 tablespoons (30 grams) has 2.5 grams of fat, which isn’t all that bad until you start adding spoon full after spoon full. 

Plain 0% Greek Yogurt- Low fat and high in protein. A single serving container  (5.3 oz/150 grams) has NO fat and 15 grams of protein. And to me at least, it tastes exactly the same as sour cream. I add it to my typical Mexican foods, such as tacos, burritos and enchiladas. Don’t be afraid to try it! I know it may seem weird using yogurt but you won’t even be able to tell the difference.

Starbucks > Home Brewed Coffee

Starbucks- We all love Starbucks. It’s expensive, packed with sugar and caffeine, convenient and fast. It’s all American. But with that means added pounds and an empty wallet. A grand eggnog latte is a whopping 460 calories, with 21g of fat and 53g of carbs. Every now and then is fine, it fun to splurge and drive through Starbucks with the rest of America’s top consumers. But everyday and it turns into a problem. If you’re in a rush and can’t make your own coffee at home, Starbucks offers other alternatives like tea and iced coffee. Just make sure you say “NO SYRUP” or they will add it. Whenever I roll through I order an iced coffee with skim milk and 1 splenda.

Home Brewed Coffee- Although it will be expensive at first, with buying a coffee machine, coffee and creamer, it will save you tons of money over time. I buy the Starbucks Pikes Place Roast ground coffee for around 7 bucks and it lasts me a good 3 weeks with brewing coffee every morning. That’s how much you’ll spend on two days worth of Starbucks. Same with creamer. I go back and forth on what type of creamer I get, but with my new resolutions I still want to consume healthier alternatives when available. I recently got Coffee-Mates natural bliss creamer in cinnamon and surprisingly it’s very tasty and you don’t even have to add much. As you can see below it’s only 35 calories, 1.5g of fat and 5g of carbs per tbls.

Chips > Trail Mix

Chips- 28g (20 chips) are around 10g fat, 15g carbs and 2g protein, which add up when you add a good movie and comfy couch. I can easily eat a full sized bag of salt and vinegar chips by myself. Trail mix easily serves as a healthier alternative to this favorite snack.

Trail Mix- Although it is also high in fat like chips, it’s healthy fat. Yes, there is a different between the types of fat. For example, almonds, cashews and pistachios are all low calorie nuts that are high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and protein. But stick to varieties that are raw, and not roasted in hydrogenated oil and overly salted. The good thing about trail mix is that if you don’t see a brand that offers what you like you can make your own at places like Sprouts. You can even add treats like dark chocolate, which are high in antioxidants, and dried fruit. Making your own also guarantees that you won’t be eating processed, chemically added ingredients. Sprouts also offer bulk bins of a variety of premade trail mix if you don’t feel like making your own. I wasn’t able to look up their nutritional information so I’m including Planters trail mix as an example even though I wouldn’t recommend this because it does include processed and chemically added ingredients. But compared to Lay’s chips 28 grams has 9g fat, 13g carbs, 4g of protein. If you want higher protein/less carbs just subtract the chocolate and dried fruit and add more nuts and seeds.