Easy Food Hacks I Used To Increase My Nutrition, Feel More Full, And Lose 35 Pounds!

I thought I would compile a list of ways that I quickly (in 3 months) lost 35 pounds without sacrificing my favorite foods by simply tweaking only my diet.  A lot of these hacks can be applied to recipes you use all the time to instantly make them healthier and more filling, while also cutting your calories.

Backstory:  Before my firstborn changed my "lucky and youthful" metabolism, I was of the mentality that exercise could make up for an unhealthy diet.  I used to run and eat whatever I wanted. As a nurse, I had been trained in nutrition, but, practically, I still had not really applied it to my life.  My idea of healthy eating was just eating salads all day, not eating carbs, not eating fat, and eating cardboard-like, fake, low-calorie foods - and that sounded gross.  I hated cold, raw veggies.  So I continued to just exercise so I could eat how I wanted, and that worked for awhile through my early 20s.  But then it stopped working. My metabolism changed. I gained 55 lbs during my pregnancy with my firstborn and only 20 of those pounds came off naturally. The remaining 35 pounds looked like they were there to stay.  I still felt gross and tired all the time, and I was feeling desperate.

As a nurse, trained to look for the best evidence based practice, I decided to research what studies were showing truly worked, when it came to weight loss and nutrition. Working smartest, not always hardest. I didn't want a fad diet based on anecdotal evidence. I wanted to change my life, so that I could have LASTING HEALTH.  I didn't want to be SKINNY, but tired and nutrient starved. I wanted to be a healthy weight and energized!

Did you know 80% of weight loss is your diet?  Neither did I! Now I do.  Once I embraced that truth, and focused on my diet instead, the weight just started falling off.  I promise, if you just change your diet to be more nutritious, you will see results! You don't even have to exercise (although exercise is good for your heart, metabolism, and musculoskeletal health, so I'm not recommending not exercising).  All the exercising I did was walk 3-5 times a week when I lost my weight (no gym membership required for that!). Some weeks I didn't walk at all!  And the best part?  The weight stayed off!  Now I'm pregnant again, but this time around I feel better equipped with the tools to ensure baby and I are getting what we need and not getting what we don't.

I learned so much in my personal research, but it took a long time figuring out what worked for me.  That's why I decided to share all the things that I found. Hopefully, it will help others!


1. Get rid of processed, white flours/grains, rice, pasta, and, generally, decrease your carbohydrate intake.

I personally believe God gave us all foods for a reason, so I do not, personally, agree with completely cutting out food groups (unless you've got an allergy/intolerance, of course).  I think bread, rice, and pasta have their place in a healthy diet, in moderation.  I believe cutting them out completely is just setting yourself up for binging, not to mention unhappiness (Woman is God's gift to man.  Bread and pasta are God's gift to woman! Ladies, can I get an amen?)

With that said, when you are trying to lose weight, bread, rice and pasta are not always your friends.  They are less food for more calories.  They usually spike your blood sugar, causing the release of excess insulin, which causes your blood sugar drop lower than it should, and, in turn, causes hunger faster leading to over-eating.  Processed, white rice and grains in particular are the worst for this.  If you want to still enjoy bread, pasta, and rice, chose whole grain, quinoa, and brown or black rice instead. Whole grain and unprocessed carbohydrates release more slowly into your bloodstream, causing less drastic blood sugar roller coasters.  They also are usually higher in fiber and protein which help you feel more full.

Even with the benefits of whole grain over white, or processed, it still can cause jeopardize weight loss if you eat a lot of it, so here are some easy hacks that I use to cut my grain and pasta intake:



Pasta Swaps (Whole wheat pasta is 160 cal/ cooked cup):

Spaghetti (Winter) Squash (42 cal/ cup): One of my favorite and easiest pasta swaps.  It blends well into any pasta sauce or dish. And it's so fast to prepare. Just cut a squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and microwave the halves for 10 minutes.  Use a fork to scoop the "squash noodles" out.  I love that I can basically eat as much spaghetti pasta as I want until I feel full.

Eggplant (35 cal/ cup):  I love, love, love using eggplant sliced lengthwise into wide strips as a substitute for lasagna noodles or cut into narrow strips for regular noodles.  It is the least noticeably flavored veggie you can use, soaks up the juices of whatever it's cooked in, and it has the closest texture to noodles.  Cook your eggplant noodles first in the microwave or in a pan and drain the excess liquid. Then you can substitute it into your favorite lasagna or pasta recipe - easy peasy!  I've made eggplant lasagna before and my husband didn't even notice there were no noodles in it - that's how great eggplant is!

Butternut squash (82 cal/ cup): You can spiralize butternut squash and substitute it for noodles in your favorite pasta dish.  But be aware that it has a very noticeable sweet taste and less-noodly texture.

Zucchini and yellow squash (33 cal/ cup): You can use it exactly the same as the eggplant or butternut squash.  More watery than eggplant, but mostly flavorless, so it blends better than butternut squash.

Bean pasta:  These are not lower calorie than pasta usually, BUT they have much higher protein and fiber, so you can easily eat less of it and feel full.  One serving is usually 15-20 grams of protein.  I love eating lentil pasta coated in a store bought vodka tomato sauce.  So easy and filling.  No meat required.


Rice Swaps (One cup of cooked brown rice is 220 calories):

Cauliflower rice, broccoli rice, or carrot rice:  One cooked cup of these riced veggies is usually about 30-40 calories.   So easy to prepare as well.  Just steam them in the microwave for 5 minutes.

Sweet potato, russet potato, or cubed butternut squash:  That might seem like a weird rice substitute, but I find that I love to eat my curry and stir-fry over cubed sweet potato (120 cal/ cup), russet potato (150 cal/cup) or butternut squash (82 cals/ cup).



Bread and Baked Good Swaps:

Use pureed beans, veggies, squash, sweet potato or nuts to substitute for flour in recipes.  This will give your bread and baked goods a huge fiber and protein (for beans) boost which will keep you feeling full longer and stabilize your blood sugar.  My website has some recipes that do this, but you can easily google search for more (i.e. Bean bread recipes, bean brownies, sweet potato bread, flourless, etc...)

Use higher protein and fiber flours:  Flaxmeal, soy flour, almond flour, chickpea flour - all of them are more filling (although not lower calorie) than regular flour, so you'll eat less.

Use eggs(70 cals per) or egg whites(17 cals per) instead of tortillas for wraps:  Higher in protein and healthy fats (no fat in egg whites), eggs scrambled and cooked in a pan (as if you are making an omelette, but you don't fold it), will make your wraps so much more filling!

Lettuce: Use lettuce instead of tortillas for wraps.


Pizza Crust Swaps (whole wheat 12 inch crust is 1120 cals, 140 cals per slice of crust - not counting toppings!):

Use a whole wheat tortilla (130 cals for one medium tortilla): thinner than most other pizza crusts, so it is fewer calories.

Eggplant and zucchini (60-80 cals for a whole pan of slices):  MY PIZZA CRUST GO-TO! Cook sliced eggplant or zucchini and then top with all your favorite toppings!  You can basically eat as much as you want!

Scrambled eggs(70 cals per large egg) or eggwhites (17 cal per eggwhite):  Higher in protein and lower in calories - they will keep you feeling full.

Canned Chicken and Egg Crust (400 cal, 61g protein per entire crust): High protein and low-carb crust that tastes really good! Not low cal, but it's more filling than regular pizza crust and the most similar to pizza crust in texture/ taste. 10 oz canned chicken, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons shredded cheese(opt) - mix together, form/ flatten into a crust and cook on parchment paper or greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes at 400F before applying toppings and then bake like normal.



2. Cut your added sugar intake. 

Sugar has no redeeming value when compared to anything else you could consume. One tablespoon is 50 calories - and no nutritional value! For a sweet tooth try these substitutions.

Stop drinking your sugar! Stop adding sugar to your coffee. Stop drinking sugar sodas.  Stop drinking fruit juice! Even 100% juice is basically straight sugar and water, with none of the fiber and fewer antioxidants and nutrients.  Don't trick yourself into believing fruit juice is a freebie.  It's not.  It spikes your sugar almost instantly (that's why, as a nurse, if I have a patient with low blood sugar I go grab some fruit juice!).  So try these alternatives below, instead:

Vegetable juice: If you want to drink a juice, try tomato juice or vegetable V8 - significantly less sugar and calories, and they contain fiber, a little protein, a ton of vitamin C and potassium.
Fruit Smoothie:  You can also make yourself a fruit smoothie - that way you still get the fiber, nutrients, and antioxidants from your fruit!
Spiced Teas: Personally, if I'm craving something sweet to drink, I'll drink a cinnamon spice tea, Bengal spice, or chai black tea (tastes sweeter due to the spices, but no added sugar!).  Peppermint, ginger, and cardamom, and fruit are also tea flavors that can trick you into thinking you are drinking something sweet.

Eat fruit to get your sweet tooth fix instead of baked snacks, puddings, and candy.  Fruit contains more complex natural sugar, but it also contains fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins - all things that are way better for your body than just sugar!

Pureed banana:  To sweeten your usual recipes or oatmeal you can generally substitute one pureed ripe banana for every 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) sugar/ honey/ maple syrup.
  Ice cream: You can use frozen banana combined with cocoa, fruit, or peanut butter in a food processor or blender to make a creamy, healthy ice cream substitute.
  Cookies: Make healthy cookies by combining equal parts pureed banana and oatmeal (you can add peanut butter for some added protein and fat, as well as some dried fruit) and bake at 350F on parchment paper to prevent sticking. Check out my cookie recipes for more!

(See my recipes for even more fruit sweetened baked goodies).

Unsweetened applesauce:  You can usually substitute cup for cup for sugar with applesauce (just decrease the liquids for your recipe to compensate).

Dried fruit (dates, prunes, apricots, raisins, craisins):  High in fiber and nutrients! You can use it pureed to sweeten, or use whole or cut up in place of chocolate chips. However, dried fruits are the candy of the fruit world. So remember to use this more cautiously than banana, because, with the water content removed it's pretty high cal, and you need less. Also make sure when buying dried fruit to check the label to ensure no sugar is added.

Spices and vanilla:  Instead of adding sugar, you can still create a sensation of sweetness by adding spices like cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom and vanilla.  Try it in your morning coffee with some milk or half-n-half and skip the sugar.

Homemade jam: make your own refrigerator/ freezer jam with pureed fresh or frozen berries/ fruit and gelatin.  If you want to sweeten add pureed banana or unsweetened applesauce. I was also just told by my friend, Kristen Crosby (a health coach and fellow RN), that you can cook your berries and add chia seeds instead of gelatin!  Such a great tip that I had to add it to this reference tool!  Chia seeds are high in omega 3s and fiber!



3. Make half or more of your meal plants.

As you may realize now, based on what I've written so far, plants (veggies and fruits) are lower calorie and generally jam packed with fiber, nutrition, and antioxidants - so they keep you full and energized.  If you are filling your diet with half veggies and fruits, you really probably don't even need to count calories, because you will be eating within your limits. Imagine that fruits and veggies ARE freebies - just eat them anytime, guilt-free (except dried fruit - moderation with dried fruit - the candy of the plant world)!  You can be confident your body is getting what it needs to be at its best. Cook them or eat them raw - whatever works for you.



4. Decrease your butter, mayo, and oils and replace with whole food fats. 

Contrary to prior beliefs, recent research is showing that good fats are your friend and can actually LOWER your bad cholesterol levels as well as help with brain health, as well as nerve and joint pain, but choosing "whole food" fat sources (that typically contain fiber and protein) helps keep you on track from going overboard on your calories from fat.

How to cut down on added unnecessary oil with more nutritious choices (butter is 100 cal/tbsp, mayo is 110 cal / tbsp, olive oil is 120 cal/ tbsp, coconut oil 120 cal/ tbsp, margarine is 60-100 cal/tbsp):

Avocado (23 cal/tbsp):  Instead of butter or mayo, try spreading avocado on toast with some salt and pepper. You can also often substitute avocado for butter or mayo in a recipe.  Puree avocado and use it in your sauces instead of cream, mayo or butter to make it creamy.

Hummus or Bean Spread(25 cal/tbsp): Hummus is soooo tasty on toast, instead of mayo on wraps and sandwiches, and as a dip for veggies and whole wheat crackers.  High in fiber and protein, it's very good for you.

Nut butter (95 cal/ tbsp): although not lower in calories, peanut butter and other nut butters contain more protein and fiber so they will keep you feeling fuller than oils or butter.  You can usually substitute cup for cup in recipes for oil.

Greek yogurt (10-15 cal/ tbsp): Greek yogurt can be used to make salad dressings and lower calorie, higher protein sauces and dips.  You can substitute it for sour cream in any recipe.  Vanilla Greek yogurt makes a delicious dip for fruit instead of whipped cream, or you can add powdered peanut butter to plain Greek yogurt for a dip or lower calorie, high protein spread/ frosting (or just eat it straight... yum).

Applesauce (6 calories/ tbsp): Applesauce contains no fat, but you can use it to substitute oil and butter in baked good recipes cup for cup.  Just make sure to grease pan or use parchment paper to prevent sticking.

Mustard (yellow 0 cal, dijon 15 cal/tbsp): Use mustard to skip butter/ mayo in your breakfast sandwich, sandwiches, or wraps, or just use it as a dip.

Hot sauce (0-15 cal per tablespoon): Use for flavor instead of dips or dressings in some of your favorite foods. Did you know spicy foods can actually temporarily bump up your metabolism?  How cool is that!



5. Track everything you eat. 

Now I'm not saying you even have to record calories, although I did.  Just recording on paper or an app on your phone every item you eat can make a huge difference in your eating habits.  If you are anything like me, it will be shocking to see how much you eat in a day, as well as the types of foods you choose (every single cookie, chip, and cream cheese bagel).  I found that I was constantly munching.  I usually consume over 3000 calories a day when I am not paying attention to what I eat.  3000 calories!!!  Before my first son, I was always a smaller person with a big appetite. Sadly, my son must have reset my metabolism to match the rest of the world, so no longer was I able to eat everything in sight without consequences! Knowing what I was supposed to be eating for my height and weight (you can find it out with an online calculator), and then tracking my foods and seeing how much I was actually eating (about 1000 calories extra!) was a big wake-up call for me.  I also realized I was eating a lot of food that wasn't fueling my body nutritionally (i.e. lots of bread, and empty carbs) and not enough veggies and fruits.  No wonder I felt like crap.  I was making my body run on high calorie, roller coaster blood sugar, fumes.

Just the knowledge that you will have to write it down/ or track it will often be enough motivation to say no to that second donut or cookie.



6. Always read labels and look up nutrition facts of everything you eat. Be aware of, and familiar with, serving size and calories.

Similar to the last point, before I gained weight with my firstborn, I never paid attention to calories or nutrition and ingredients in what I ate, really.  Ask me how much 100 calories worth of something was, and my guess would have been WAY off.  Did you know that most small to medium cookies are 150 - 200 calories EACH and peanut butter is 200 calories per 2 tbsp (I used to eat half a jar of peanut butter with Ritz crackers in just one sitting when I was in college!)?  Did you know that one large banana or one large apple is 100 calories or that a whole pint of strawberries is only 150 calories?  I didn't.  But now I do.  Just being familiar with the calories in things makes healthy choices so much easier.  Now I know that 2 eggs (140 cal), a pint of strawberries (150 cal), and a small cookie (150-200 cal) each have the same calorie count. However, unlike the cookie that offers little outside empty carbs and sugar (that will leave me hungry sooner), 2 eggs contain 12 g of protein as well as healthy fat and nutrients that will keep me feeling full, and strawberries have lots of fiber (more filling), vitamins, and antioxidants, so I will rarely choose the cookie, now.  Why choose to eat LESS FOOD, when you could eat MORE?  Now I don't even have to look up calories or check labels much(unless it's something I don't usually eat or buy), because I know them and am very familiar with the nutrition in what I'm eating.  That makes all the difference!




7. Meal prep for the week and keep healthy choices on hand at all times to make it easy on yourself (get rid of (AND DON'T BUY) unhealthy choices).

I have a confession.  I'm an extremely lazy person. When I feel hungry, I don't feel like making ANYTHING.  So, if i'm not prepared with healthy, fast options (like 10 minutes or less), I'm gonna grab the convenient unhealthy one.

Meal prep:  Take one afternoon, to make up your meals for the week. Then all you have to do is reach in your fridge and grab a healthy option.

Healthy food items I like to keep on hand at all times: 

Hard boiled eggs (70 cals each): Did you know studies have shown that people who start their day with eggs for breakfast generally eat less during the rest of their day than people who don't start their day with eggs?  That's what I call an easy hack!  I boil and peel a dozen eggs at the beginning of the week*.  Eggs are such a nutritious, low calorie, high protein and healthy fat, snack to have on hand.  I'll eat two of them sliced on a whole wheat English muffin with mustard and a slice of melted cheddar cheese (270 cal, 22 g protein) most days for breakfast. Or I'll eat three (210 cal, 18g protein) dipped in buffalo hot sauce (I get it... that may sound weird to others, but I love it!).

*Directions for easy peeling, perfectly cooked, hard-boiled eggs: Fill pot with cold water and put eggs in, add 1 tsp baking soda, turn heat to medium high. As soon as the water boils, turn off the heat.  Let the eggs sit in the water 10-15 minutes then peel while still VERY WARM (DO NOT let cool to room temp, or you will have major peeling troubles!), if you are still having trouble peeling, drop eggs in an ice water bath or try peeling under water. Rarely ever have a problem peeling them with this method!

Sweet potatoes (110 calories for medium sized): Sweet potatoes are so easy to cook up quickly (five -10 minutes in the microwave, depending on size) and they contain sooooo much nutrition!  They naturally will help you feel more satisfied.

Russet potatoes (160 calories for a medium): Sometimes white potatoes get a bad rap, but they shouldn't!  They are extremely high in potassium and contain lots of protein and fiber - so they truly will help you stay feeling full.  Like sweet potatoes, you can easily cook them up in the microwave in 5-10 minutes.

Sliced cheese and cheese sticks (70-80 cals per):  I like using sliced cheese for most applications of cheese (i.e. over a potato instead of butter, in an omelet, on a sandwich or on veggies) because it is so much easier to track how much I'm adding versus using shredded cheese which is more often a dump and eyeball game. If you do use shredded cheese, just do the extra step of getting out the measuring cup.

Salsa and canned tomato/vegetable-based pasta sauces: Quick, healthy, flavorful meals are simple when you have healthy, vegetable-based sauces.  Eggs with salsa on top are delicious!  Mix a can of beans, corn, small onion (opt), and some salsa for a fast nutritious meal. You can also top a baked potato or sweet potato with salsa.
Veggie-based pasta sauce (vodka pasta sauce from Trader Joes is my personal favorite) can be easily mixed in with some lentil/bean pasta or a microwaved spaghetti squash for a fast and tasty meal.

Hummus, shredded carrots, spinach, and whole wheat tortillas:  Put a 1/4 cup hummus in a wrap and pile on the veggies of choice.  SO GOOD!  So fast!

Greek yogurt: High protein and full of probiotics!  Great with some fresh/frozen berries and nuts for a healthy snack.

Apples and bananas and whatever other fruit is on sale:  Quick fixes when you are craving sweets.

Frozen fruit and vegetables: So easy to grab and add to your dishes.  Stick veggies in a bowl with  a little water, cover and microwave.  Did you know you can roast FROZEN vegetables?  Well, you can.  Just add 15 minutes to the roasting time. They taste just as good as fresh when roasted.

Canned beans and veggies:  Once again, so easy to quickly add them to your plate or dish.  Remember, half your plate should be fruits and veggies.  If you have got veggies in your pantry or freezer, you can make that happen!


8. Eat less during the day, so you can eat more at night.

This seems to work very well, generally.  It is so easy to jeopardize your progress at night when you are tired and less motivated.  If you are at all like me, you likely get the munchies late at night. I cannot sleep if I'm still feeling hungry. So, PLAN for your biggest meal to be at night.  Eat less during the day or eat a late breakfast.  I usually tried to always save myself around 1000 calories for dinner, so I could go to bed feeling fully satisfied.


9. Cheat on one day a week. 

What?  Did you hear that right?  Yes.  If you are cutting your calories, your body will often go into shock after a few weeks of weight loss.  Your body's metabolism will slow down, because it thinks there is a scarcity of food, and you will plateau in your weight loss and feel exhausted.  Not to mention, if you cut out sweets and unhealthy foods completely, a lot of times you will find yourself losing control and binging.  For me, what worked was making Saturdays my "day of rest".  I didn't track calories and would eat whatever I wanted, as much as I wanted. Because of this trick my body no longer plateaued until I reached my goal weight.  Some weeks, if there was an event on a different day than Saturday (like a birthday or party), I would just make that my cheat day for the week.  This made it so much easier to not lose control, because I knew I could eat what I was craving on Saturday.  Of course, the longer I ate healthy, the less and less I craved the unhealthy foods, anyway.


10.  Relax.

If you are eating right - not just feeding your body, but FUELING it - your body will be better equipped to handle that occasional cookie or brownie.  So don't sweat it.  Just eat something healthy for your next snack!


I hope this will help others.  Feel free to print it as a reference guide.  My life is changed.  I've learned to love cooking, from making healthier meals, and I feel like I'm doing a better job of honoring God with the body He has entrusted me with, allowing me to be more physically able to serve Him.