Dieting can be difficult, and cutting out your favourite items decreases the chance of sticking to a diet. However, by making lifestyle changes and simple swaps can make it easier to reach your goals. We have listed some lower calorie options that can make it easier to diet.

Swap your cooking oils for cooking spray

Using oils during cooking can often add unwanted calories to your meals. 1 serving (1 tablespoon) of cooking oil can add approximately 100kcal to a meal, compared to only 10kcal for 10 sprays of cooking spray. Some oils such as vegetable oils can also increase the levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol in the body, leading to plaque build up in arteries which can contribute to heart disease and heart attacks. Some oils however such as Olive oil can increase the level of HDL (good) cholesterol in the body which transports cholesterol to the Liver where it can be broken down and excreted from the body. Therefore, despite oils increasing calorie consumption, in moderation they can help towards a healthy balanced diet.

Swap microwave rice for boiled rice

The convenience of microwave rice can often be tempting, especially when rice such as brown and vegetable rice are marketed as the healthier options. However, microwave rice often has added oils, salt and flavourings and is often double the price of a bag of uncooked rice.

Microwave rice can mount up to 250kcal for half a pack. In comparison, 100g of boiled basmati rice is only approximately 100kcal.

Swap your sweet treats to these low calorie snacks

Whether its crisps or sweets, we all have something that we crave on a Sunday night. Luckily, supermarkets and brands are creating low calorie options without impacting on the flavour. For example brands such as Oppo have created low calorie ice cream at only around 300kcal per tub compared to brands such as Ben and Jerry’s that set you back nearly 1000kcal for a tub.