From pizza and chicken alfredo to cookies and cakes, people will find a number of comfort foods they enjoy eating on a daily or weekly basis. If it's delicious, then why not eat it every chance you get?
Some people eat because they have to, while others eat because they truly love food and the joy it brings them. If you find you're in that latter category, then you have probably discovered how difficult it is to enjoy all of the delicious foods you want without consuming the calories attached to them. When people indulge in some of their favorite comfort foods too often, a high calorie count is just one of the many problems that surfaces. Luckily, when looking to take down some fried chicken, cake or anything else that brightens up your day, there are certain things you can do to avoid consuming lots of calories you don't need.
Don't forget to save with weekly grocery coupon offers from Walmart, Whole Foods and buy in bulk from Boxed.com (online wholesale retailer with no membership required) or Amazon!
1. Control your portion size
diettogo.com
A lot of people have issues with controlling their portion sizes, especially when they really love the dish they about to eat. If you eat too much of something that is high in calories, it should be expected that the end result will be weight gain. When chowing down on some mac-n-cheese, greasy pizza, or pasta, pay attention to how big your portions are and rethink if they need to be that big. This can easily be done by eating on a smaller plate or using a special utensil to scoop your food.
2. Eat only when you are hungry
gwinnettmedical.blogspot.com
Comfort food is often consumed when people aren't even hungry. Because they tend to eat these foods when they are stressed, bored or sad, they tend to overeat. Emotional eating is never good because you might not know when you should stop. Instead of eating comfort food when you aren't hungry, eat comfort food when you are hungry. You'll also want to stop eating when you feel full and comfortable, not when you feel stuffed and are on the verge of a stomachache.
Related Reads:
3. Increase dish's nutritional value
Pomegranate Apps (Nutrients)
When you think about the ingredients in your favorite dishes, they probably have a lot salt, sugar and other ingredients that won't exactly help you keep off those unwanted pounds. Foods with no real nutritional value are delicious, but they just aren't good for you, whether you make it yourself or buy it from your local grocer. If possible, when you are indulging some comfort food, try removing certain ingredients and adding a few with some nutritional value, like vegetable and fruits.
Try the Pomegranate Nutrient App if you're looking for a list of foods high in a specific nutrient!
4. Completely change the recipe
You could opt to add in a few nutritional elements, but you could also just change the recipe completely so that everything in the dish is healthy. Many people don't realize it, but with the right ingredients, any dish can taste just as delicious as the original recipe. Even if you don't like all of the healthy alternative, it is at least worth trying. But with there being thousands of recipes available to you, you should be able to find one you love.
Try the Substitutions app (currently available for iOS only for $2.99) which will show you a list of substitutes for healthier recipes. App stores are bustling with amazing health apps for free so browse through your phone's app store and find one that best caters to your diet.
5. Make comfort food part of your regular diet
Food Network
Comfort food is often seen as a reward or a treat for someone. In fact, people will consider cake or whatever else they enjoy as a snack. If you make comfort part of your regular diet, you'll be less tempted to overindulge. Not only does this ensure that you are eating it for the right reasons, it can help you with controlling your portion side and even encourage you to add some fun ingredients that actually have some value.
Comfort food is meant to comfort you, but too many times it has left people feeling bad about themselves because the results are often weight gain, which leaves them feeling uncomfortable. Although people are fully aware of what can happen, they sometimes simply can't control themselves and continue to eat foods that may not be the best for their health. People may suggest that you completely stop indulging in the many foods you love, but why do that when you can actually consume your favorite comfort foods without the calories and stay on top of your health and fitness?
