By Winnie Yu The equation for weight loss is simple: Burn more calories than you take in, and you'll lose weight. Fortunately, trimming calories doesn't have to mean radical changes to your diet. "Making subtle, simple substitutions or changes in your meal and snack choices each day can add up over time," says Elisa Zied, M.S., R.D., spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and author of Feed Your Family Right!. "If you continue with these habits over time, you'll lose weight and keep it off long-term." Here, some dietary swaps so tasty and easy to maintain, you won't even miss the missing calories.
Take it lightRather than lighten your coffee with cream and sugar, make the switch to skim milk and a calorie-free sweetener. One tablespoon of cream and two teaspoons of sugar adds up to 90 calories. Using two tablespoons of skim milk (you'll probably want a little more for desired creaminess) and a packet of Splenda or Equal will deliver just 15 calories, for a savings of 75 calories.
Make a milk swapTop off morning cereal with a lower-fat milk. Choosing one cup of one-percent milk instead of whole saves 45 calories. Switch to skim milk, and you'll slash 65 calories.
Scramble thisNext time you're scrambling up some eggs, try using egg whites instead. Instead of two scrambled eggs, mix one egg with an egg white, and you'll save 85 calories.
Sip wiselySoft drinks and iced teas are typically loaded with calories, especially when they come in super-sized bottles. A 16-ounce bottle of cola, for instance, contains 182 calories, and a 16.9-ounce bottle of iced tea has 186 calories. Trade regular soda for the diet version or, better yet, a bottle of water, and you'll nix all of those calories from your day.
Be sandwich savvyRather than slather your sandwich in mayonnaise, give mustard a try. It packs a flavor punch, plus it's calorie-free (versus the 95 calories per tablespoon of mayo). Can't give up the mayo? Try the lighter version instead, and you'll save 55 calories.
Ditch dried fruitReach for fresh fruits instead of dried versions, which are calorie dense and void of the water that makes fruit so filling. For instance, one cup of grapes contains 60 calories, compared to a cup of raisins, which carries a whopping 495 calories.
Doctor your drinkFill your wine glass half full, then top it off with seltzer. Seltzer is calorie-free, and drinking just half a glass of wine will slash 60 calories.
Ban butter overloadResist the urge to pour butter over your popcorn and try spritzing it instead with butter-flavored Flavor Spray (flavorspraydiet.com). This zero-calorie condiment will deliver the rich flavor you crave and save you 102 calories for every tablespoon of butter you avoid.
http://lifestyle.msn.com/Redbook/Article.aspx?cp-documentid=2128428
