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Food Swap!

 
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Here it is — my best non-diet diet advice. Remember how they told us that there are no good foods or bad foods? Well, we do know that there are super foods and not-so-great ones. And, we also know that in times of huge stress, or even in good old times, those not-so-great foods are especially tasty and appealing. So, I’ve come up with a monthly plan that is not a diet, but a way to clean up our act, and get some super foods into our system.

Simply pick a super food, such as blueberries, the goddess of the antioxidants. Then select a not-so great food, such as potato chips or milk chocolate. Every time you would normally reach for a chip or a hunk of milk chocolate, grab a blueberry or blueberry-rich snack instead.

It’s that simple. Decide on the not-so-great food that you will give up for the month, and put it in writing. Post it on your fridge to remind yourself. Try food swapping for a month. Instead of chocolate chip pancakes, eat blueberry pancakes. Okay, that one was too easy. Instead of chips or candy, eat a fistful of frozen blueberries. They quench a thirst, provide a sweet taste, and give you lots of health benefits. Add blueberries to trail mix. Add dried or fresh blueberries on top of salads. I tried this last month, and at the end of the month, I had lost three pounds, and I felt great.

Here are some ideal food swaps:

Not-so great super
potato chips air-popped popcorn
macaroni sweet potato
French fries sliced pickles
peanuts pineapple chunks
gravy berry-based sauce

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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

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