Ways to Eat Lighter Without Sacrifice

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LoveDoveFruits #CollectiveBias

Eating better can be one of the hardest tasks EVER!  Here are five ideas that will help you eat lighter but you feel no sacrifice! Plus I have the perfect indulgent feeling pancake recipe using DOVE® Dark Chocolate Raspberry and Honey Roasted Almond!

Six years ago, I went through a major eating overhaul.  It was long.  It was hard.  I felt like I didn’t see any results for weeks and weeks until all of a sudden I noticed a change.

It can be SO hard to stick with a better-for-you eating regimen.  First, how do you know where you start? Second, how do you stick with it?

The secret for me was keeping consistent with very little changes in what I ate.  Here are my top five ways I eat lighter without feeling the sacrifice.

Eat Lighter by Drinking LOTS of Water

Ever feel super hungry but nothing will satiate you?  I’ve done this.  I’ll take a handful of grapes, grab an apple… ok, haha, let me rewind and be honest.

I take a few forkfulls of leftover spaghetti, a couple spoonfuls of jelly from the jar, and a slice of my kids’ leftover pizza.  Why am I not full yet?? Then it hits me.  Wait, am I thirsty?

I take a few gulps of water and suddenly I’m stuffed. 

Dehydration plays with your brain. It can make you think you’re hungry when your not and you don’t even realize it.  

Carry a water bottle around with you and sip throughout the day.  You’ll be suprised at the difference it makes. 

Substitute White for Whole Wheat

There are a whole host of reasons why whole wheat flour trumps white while trying to eat lighter.  For one, whole wheat flour has a higher fiber content which helps you feel fuller after a meal. It also doesn’t cause quite as high of a spike in blood sugar – which you won’t feel suddenly voracious a few hours after you eat.

Using whole wheat flour, buying whole wheat bread or substituting whole wheat pasta is such an easy switch that you will probably not even taste.  Food may taste a little heartier, but that’s a good thing.

Indulge on Dark Chocolate 

All indugences are not made equal.  Dark chocolate has hit the news recently as the chocolate of choice.  I like it for one main reason:

I always feel satisfied after eating dark chocolate.   

Anything with dark chocolate has my vote for yummy.  I’m a huge fan of the DOVE® Chocolate Fruit & Nut products that can be found at Walmart.  Look for them in a special in-store display this month.  I tried DOVE® Dark Chocolate Blueberry and Vanilla Cashew, DOVE® Dark Chocolate Strawberry and Cocoa Almond and DOVE® Dark Chocolate Raspberry and Honey Roasted Almond. Dark chocolate, dried fruit, and nuts are the perfect treat with tons of wellness benefits.  Plus, they make the perfect addition to these pancakes.

If you prefer just fruit (or just nuts), check out the DOVE® Roasted Almonds covered in Dark Chocolate or the DOVE® Dark Chocolate Cranberries.  

These products are so easy to add to your favorite pancake recipe (although if you need a recipe, I include one at the bottom).  Once you pour the pancake batter onto the griddle, you simply press these into the top before flipping.  When you bite into the pancake, you get a mouthful of melting chocolate with the crunch of the nuts and tangy sweetness of fruit. 

Amazing, yes?  I need to make these again very soon. 

Use non-fat or low-fat dairy products

This is such a simple way to lower the fat and yet not sacrifice taste.  You can substitue non-fat milk while making macaroni and cheese or use skim milk in your coffee instead of half and half

Skim milk works wonderfully in this pancake recipe.

Add lots of fruit and veggies

This is my favorite trick EVER!  Not only are you upping the nutrition in your meal but you are also adding more food, more fiber and more vitamins.  Plus, how pretty does this look?

Fruit gives any meal a bright pop of color that you just can’t wait to dig into!  

I love using fresh fruit and veggies, but if you are short on time, frozen fruit works perfectly too. 

Raspberry Chocolate Pancakes

These pancakes include all of my eating lighter tricks. They are made with whole wheat flour, use non-fat milk and have the small indulgence of DOVE® Chocolate Fruit & Nut.  Top them with fresh raspberries and you have a satisfying breakfast. 

Want to more inspiration on how to use DOVE® Chocolate Fruit & Nut? Check out these ideas.

Recommended Posts

10 Healthy Snacks Kids Will Eat (with a little fun)