Food swaps

[Ladymuckypuddle]

Mumsnet, I need your wisdom please for food swaps. Things like full fat milk to skimmed milk. I made scrambled egg for lunch today using oil in the pan. Its just occurred to me that as I'm trying to lose weight oil probably wasn't the best option. Doing a food shop tomorrow evening so please hit me with your swaps.

I've never used oil for scrambled eggs, just a tiny bit of butter. Depending on how much oil u use, it could be healthier. I lost 3 stone 4 years ago, my main change was big salads virtually every day with dinner instead of rice or potatoes and I kept to 2 biscuits a day with my evening cup of tea. Knowing I had that treat to look forward to all day kept me going.
Btw, skim milk is ugh imo, try half fat first maybe.

I put in enough oil to lightly cover the bottom of the frying pan. 3 stone is a great achievement well done.

I use skimmed milk and don’t taste the difference.

You can try reduced fat cheese, Philadelphia or laughing cow light or cottage cheese.

I agree with most of this.

i have non-stick omelette pan and don't add any oil or eggs when i make scrambled eggs in it!
greek yogurt rather than fruit or ones with sugar in
butternut squash instead of potato or sweet potato
white meat and fish instead of red meat
measure your portions of things like cereal, rice and pasta because most people will be drastically over-estimating how big a portion is
wholemeal bread / rice / pasta - the calories are similar to white but it keeps you fuller for longer and more fibre
fill your plate with salad and veg
i buy the mini snack packs of biscuits for my afternoon sweet treat then i'm not tempted to gorge my way through an entire pack of biscuits

Fried eggs absorb much less of the fat than scrambled

might be an idea to o give some hints as to what high calorie stuff you have and what your weaknesses are

For anything like scrambled eggs, I just wipe out the pan with oil on a piece of kitchen roll - just enough to stop it sticking. Ditto for almost anything fried.

I agree with measuring things. Some people even say to measure eg milk in hot drinks.

Personally I’d avoid stuff like Fry Light (think that’s the name) it’s vile and I’d rather use butter. Things like scrambled eggs on toast for breakfast is often enough so I can skip lunch if wanted.

Get used to salads but add things like avocado, feta cheese, walnuts to it. Or cottage cheese.

My weakness is definitely snacking. I like the idea of the mini packs then when it's gone it's gone. I am using Nutracheck daily calories are 1400 which I am measuring everything and sticking to calories. But I am not losing much if anything just sort of going up and down the same few pounds. Thinking it's what I am eating that's the problem.

1400 calories doesn't sound much, sounds stupid but you might actually need to eat more

spray oil and take out the yolk, you don't need milk either.

Drink a teaspoon of good quality extra virgin olive oil every morning on an empty stomach. You will eat less throughout the day and importantly you will get the polyphenols famous for long life expectancies in the ‘blue zones’

Mumsnet is a misery pot of low fat and restriction and calorie counting advice.

We need good fat! Fat is amazing.

Dont focus on what you can cut out - think about what you can add in - fiber, protein, fat. This will stop you reaching for the UPF.

Checkout Zoe nutrition podcasts, books etc.

It sounds stupid to comment on target calories without knowing the OPs size age and weight

I am stable at 1500 to 1600

ans the “average “ woman needs 1800 not the historic pre car 2000

The spray oil is rubbish. Yolks aren’t bad. You don’t need to cut out milk either just limit it.

It all depends on ops hight and weight now. My maintenance is only1350 so 1400 would mean I wouldn't loose anything.

Op I swapped to making scrambled egg in the microwave with skimmed milk so no need for oil or butter or I have dry fried egg in a none stick pan. If I make omelette I wipe the pan with oil.

I also did things like reduced my cards slightly and increased the protein and/or veg. So for instance I'll have a two egg scrambled egg with 1 slice of toast and a side of spinach, tomatoes and mushrooms. Rather than two slices of toast. Just little swaps or not adding the extras helps. So dc had garlic bread, pasta and sauce for tea, I had pasta and sauce with mixed salad. I reduce the cards on a Sunday dinner by not having stuffing and reducing the amount of potatoes.

If you make something like a beef stew or Bolognese, use the leanest meat you can and also sub some of the meat for mushrooms, aubergines or lentils?

If you love bread like baguettes and bagels, scoop out most of the bready bit in the middle and fill with lean meat and extra salad.

I am only 5ft and weight 12 stone 5. I think my calories are fine and enough for me as I never feel extra hungry or that they aren't enough. These are great tips. Thanks.

I make scrambled eggs with a drop of water instead of milk, it makes a lighter scrabble.

You can also make them in the microwave.

In the grand scheme a little oil or butter is not that significant,neither is changing from full fat to skimmed milk unless you drink gallons of the stuff, obviously deep frying where the food absorbs a lot of oil is out. For me I found the best way to lose weight was portion control, weigh rice, pasta, potato, cornflakes etc, a normal single portion is about 75g, rather than chucking it in- that looks about right, then add a bit more for luck, Try to reduce the amount of bread, cake, biscuits and crisps you consume, especially as snacks. Booze is fairly high calorie as well, slimline tonic won't make that much of difference compared with normal.