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Sticking to a diet with the goal of losing body fat requires you be in a calorie deficit for a period of time.
We all know how difficult this can be and the many challenges that come our way in the form of;
Social surroundings
Environment
Availability of foods
Culture
Friends
Family
Work
To name a few…
To give yourself the greatest chance of having a successful fat loss diet, the bulk of your calories consumed should come from nutrient dense, minimally processed whole foods which will keep you feeling full and provide you with energy throughout the day. This would mean the majority of you food sources will come from high quality lean cuts of meat, fish, a variety of vegetables and fruits along with some whole grain sources.
This does not mean that’s all you can eat, THE BULK OF YOUR CALORIES should come from those sources. Your diet doesn’t have to be bland or boring and their are plenty of foods you can use to counteract any sweet tooth or cravings you may have.
I’ve put together a list of some of my favourite low calorie options that I use when dieting to help keep me on track:
| 1. Hartley’s Sugar Free Jelly | ||
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With just 9 calories per serving, this is an amazing snack for someone with a sweet tooth. Virtually no carbs or fat and it is quite filling for something with 9 only calories.
Where can you find this?
This product is available in Tesco, Dunne’s Stores and most online supplement shops.
Serving suggestions:
– Have a bowl on it’s own.
– With yogurt and fruit.
– Try my protein trifle recipe available in the recipe section of this website.
– Add it to any healthy dessert or recipe.
Did I mention it only has 9 calories?
| 2. Courgetti/Squashetti: | ||
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Spiralized veg such as courgette or butternut squash are game changers on a diet!! Use them instead of noodles/pasta/spaghetti or use them to bulk up your meals. Really tasty and so versatile!! Spiralized courgette can be used in a range of dishes such as salads, stir fries, curries, pasta dishes!!
Where can you find this?
Most supermarkets. Tesco, Aldi, Dunne’s Stores, Lidl. Usually in the fridge section. You can also make your own. Vegetable spiralizers can be picked up in Tescos for €8. Such a handy tool to have.
Serving suggestions;
– Courgetti with home made bolognese sauce.
– Squashetti pad thai or instead of noodles in any Asian dish.
– Courgetti with creamy avocado sauce (check my recipe section).
| 3. Broghies | ||
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I picked these up one day as I was walking past a butchers. I was drawn in by ‘less than 20 calories per broghie’ written across the label. I thought it was too good to be true!! They are basically giant prawn crackers without the high fat content or fishy taste. With only 19 calories per wafer and no artificial preservatives, these can be used as a great alternative to bread/wraps/tacos etc if you want to keep carbs/calories low. These are becoming quite popular lately and I can see why!!
Where can you find them?
Most supermarkets now have these along with butchers and I’ve even seen them in a petrol station.
Serving suggestions:
– A substitute for bread, tacos, wraps.
– Broken up over a meal. (e.g chili con carne – check my recipes).
– Light snack with toppings (e.g tuna, feta cheese and spinach).
| 4. Extra Light Cream Cheese | ||
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Everyone knows cream cheese can be a great ingredient to make a great sweet or savory dish. The only problem is, it is very high in fat and can be very easy to over consume. There are light and extra light versions available, which can save you over 80 calories per serving. In comparison with the full fat version, based on a 30g serving of both, there is 106 calories in the full fat version and 24 calories in the extra light version with a difference of 9 grams of fat between the 2. That is a massive difference and this simple substitution can really help towards making healthier lifestyle choices.
Where can you find this?
This product is available in most supermarkets. The own brand ones are cheaper but the Philadelphia extra lightest is the lowest in calories.
Serving suggestions:
– Use to make your own creamy pasta sauce.
– Protein cheesecake (check my recipe section).
– Use as as a spread.
| 5. Bagel Slims/Slimsters: | ||
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The average bagel contains around 270 calories which is quite high for it’s size. Bagel slims can be a great alternative and can help you save around 150 calories. ‘Slimsters’ and ‘Slimbos’ are also great alternatives to bread and can be used to make your favourite sandwich saving you loads of calories! These simple little substitutions all add up and make it easier for you to stick to your diet rather than cutting bread out completely.
Where can you find them?
– Dunne’s Stores, Tesco and Lidl/Aldi now have their own versions of them too. You can find versions that are less than 100 calories per slimster.
Serving suggestions:
– Toasted/grilled sandwiches.
– Use as a bun instead of regular burger buns.
| 6. Skyr yoghurts | ||
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With just 83 calories per pot and over 13g of protein these are a great high protein and handy snack for any person struggling to hit their protein targets.
Where can you find these?
These are available in Lidl in a variety of flavours and are only 69 cent per pot. Most supermarkets these days have a good selection of low fat Greek yogurts or yogurts high in protein. Other good brands are Fage, Liberte, Kvar, Glenisk etc.
Serving suggestions;
– On it’s own.
– With fruit.
– Topping on pancakes.
| 7. Sriracha Hot Sauce | ||
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This can be added to almost any meal to add a bit of extra spice and flavour. It can be hard to stick to your diet if you are eating plain and boring foods so spices/sauces are a great addition to make your meals more satisfying. A 10g serving is just 10 calories so you can’t go wrong with sriracha sauce!
Where can you find this?
Most supermarkets these days – Aldi, Tesco, Dunne’s Stores.
Serving suggestions;
– Spice up any meal.
– Marinate chicken breasts in it.
| 8. Calorie Free Syrups | ||
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These are becoming increasingly popular these days and are an amazing substitute for honey or maple syrup which are both very high in carlories. You wouldn’t even notice how fast these calories can add up just by pouring on a bit of honey on to your porridge in the morning. Sugar free coffee syrups are also available in most coffee shops as an alternative to regular syrups, just ask your barista! In a regular size, 2 pumps of syrup are used which will add on 80 calories and 10 grams of sugar. In the large, you’ll get 4 pumps for a total of 160 calories and 20 grams of sugar. The sugar-free syrup options contain 0 calories so just think about how many calories you could save each day if you made the swap.
Calorie free syrups are available from most online supplement stores and I have also found them in a few different place like TK Maxx and a couple of coffee shops around Ireland. The most popular brands would be Walden Farms and Myprotein.
Serving suggestions;
– Topping for yogurt.
– Topping for pancakes.
– In your coffee.
| 9. Cashew Milk | ||
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Cashew milk is one of the lowest calorie alternatives to milk and is a very creamy and tasty substitute. With just 23 caloreis per 100ml compared with full fat cow’s milk at 64 calories, you can save a lot of calories over the course of a day/week. If you struggle with hunger while trying to lose weight, swapping the liquids in your diet to lower calorie alternatives is a great tip. It will mean that you will get more calories for food!!
Where can you find this?
These are available from most supermarkets. Hazelnut, almond and coconut milk are other great options that are low in calories so try them all out and see which one you like the most!
Serving suggestions:
– Substitute for milk.
– Tea or coffee.
– Protein porridge.
| 10. Passata Sauce | ||
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Passata sauce is a tomato puree which can be used as an alternative to other jarred pasta sauces which can be very high in calories. It’s so easy to cook with and can save a lot of time in the kitchen which is always important.
Where can you find this?
Available from any supermarket.
Serving suggestions:
– Sauce for any meal.
– Base for a homemade pizza.
– Sauce for any Italian pasta dish.
Give these products a try and let me know how you find them! If you think anyone could benefit from reading this, feel free to share it with them.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
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