Dietitian reveals how simple swaps in meals can save you calories

If you’re embarking on a weight loss plan you should eat only lettuce and cucumber, right?

Not the case. In fact, you can eat exactly what you might want to enjoy, provided you get the portions under control.

Dietitian, Paula Norris, regularly illustrates this on her Instagram page, where she showcases the simple dietary swaps you can make to get rid of hundreds of calories.

 

Dietitian, Paula Norris, illustrated how making a few small changes in your meal – and these can make all of the difference when it comes to calories

By tweaking your food, and eating less of some things and more of others, Paula (pictured) outlined just how many calories you can save

By tweaking your food, and eating less of some things and more of others, Paula (pictured) outlined just how many calories you can save

Should you want to make the lightened version at home, Paula said you should tweak 80 grams of halloumi for just 40 grams

Then, add in three large florets of broccoli

Should you want to make the lightened version at home, Paula said you should tweak 80 grams of halloumi for just 40 grams, and then add in three large florets of broccoli

Her most recent example? A green ‘power bowl’-style lunch filled with quinoa, spinach, halloumi cheese, roasted pumpkin, red onion, almonds and salad dressing. 

By making just a few changes, you can take the dish from a 705 calorie extravaganza to a light meal that comes in at just 345 calories.

Should you want to make the lightened version at home, Paula said you first need to swap 3/4 of a cup of quinoa for just 1/4 of a cup.

Then, add 3/4 of a cup of spinach for the higher calorie version and 1.5 cups for the lower, take your one cup of roasted pumpkin with two teaspoons of olive oil to one cup cooked with spray oil and add 1/8 of a red onion for both. 

Three large florets of broccoli is also subbed in to the low calorie version.

In other meals, Paula showed how one fewer potato, slightly less beef, more spinach and broccoli can save you nearly two hundred calories (pictured)

In other meals, Paula showed how one fewer potato, slightly less beef, more spinach and broccoli can save you nearly two hundred calories (pictured)

Higher calorie meal

* 3/4 of a cup of quinoa.

* 3/4 of a cup of spinach.

* One cup of roasted pumpkin with two teaspoons of extra Virgin olive oil.

* 1/8 of a red onion.

* 80 grams of halloumi cheese.

* 15 almonds.

* One teaspoon of extra Virgin olive oil, one teaspoon of mustard and two teaspoons of lemon juice. 

Lower calorie meal 

* 1/4 of a cup of quinoa.

* 1.5 cups of spinach.

* One cup of roasted pumpkin with spray oil.

* 1/8 of a red onion.

* 40 grams of halloumi cheese.

* Three large florets of broccoli. 

* Five almonds. 

* One teaspoon of seeded mustard and two teaspoons of lemon juice. 

If weight loss is your goal, Paula (pictured) said you should reduce oil in cooking - and try spray oil instead

If weight loss is your goal, Paula (pictured) said you should reduce oil in cooking – and try spray oil instead

Finally, replace 80 grams of halloumi cheese and 15 almonds for just 40 grams and five almonds.

Mix the salad together and tailor your dressing from one teaspoon of extra Virgin olive oil, one teaspoon of mustard and two teaspoons of lemon juice to just one teaspoon of seeded mustard and two teaspoons of lemon juice.  

‘Easy ways to cut calories,’ Paula wrote. ‘Reduce oil in cooking. Try spray oil.

‘Replace some of the starchy carbs with non-starchy vegetables.’

And finally, she said, ‘add moderate amounts of healthy fats (nuts, seeds, oil in dressing)’.

'Both of these meals are healthy but depending on your goals you may make modifications for more or less calories,' she wrote next to one recent photo of a salmon meal (pictured)

‘Both of these meals are healthy but depending on your goals you may make modifications for more or less calories,’ she wrote next to one recent photo of a salmon meal (pictured)

Chicken Pad Thai (pictured) can be notoriously calorific, but by eating slightly less chicken and noodles and more veggies, you can make the meal just 532 calories

Chicken Pad Thai (pictured) can be notoriously calorific, but by eating slightly less chicken and noodles and more veggies, you can make the meal just 532 calories

In the past, Paula has shared other examples of how she cuts mindless calories from her day.

By eating more of some things – like greens – and less of others – like cheeses and starchy carbs – you can easily hit your target weight.

‘Both of these meals are healthy but depending on your goals you may make some modifications for more or less calories,’ she wrote next to one recent photo of a salmon meal.

‘This one is also important as while good fats are of course amazing for and required by our bodies – the calories can add up. So if you’re trying to move some weight you need to be aware of portions of even good fats.’



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