Buzz
Sweet treats like cakes, cookies, brownies, ice cream, chocolate... are irresistible delights for many. Yet, consuming them excessively can lead to unwanted weight gain. However, fret not. Here are 11 ways to enjoy desserts without adding extra pounds.
1. Downsize Portions
If you can't resist baking your favorite treats while cutting back on ingredients, opt for smaller baking molds. This way, you'll only indulge in smaller portions without affecting your weight.
2. Substitute with Healthier Ingredients
Indulging in a decadent brownie loaded with over 500 calories can significantly expand your waistline, accompanied by a perpetual sense of guilt. Try finding healthier alternatives that preserve the distinctive flavor of the brownie to satisfy your sweet cravings guilt-free.
3. Natural Sweetness from Fruits
Fruits are typically low in calories yet rich in fiber, making you feel full with just a small serving. Sometimes, a bowl of strawberries may not be appealing, but pairing it with a bit of ice cream enhances the flavor significantly. For instance, you can create strawberry with chocolate ice cream, frozen banana with peanut butter, or frozen grapes with yogurt.
4. Boost Protein and Fiber Intake
Enhancing the nutritional value of your meal will provide a sense of reassurance when consuming it. You can increase protein content or add fiber such as beans to your cooking recipes, or incorporate Chia seeds to boost healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
5. Incorporate Greens Whenever Possible
You can sneak spinach into brownie batter, add some peas to chocolate donut batter, or sweet potato to oatmeal cookie batter. Greens enhance fiber and other vitamin content in baked goods. Rest assured, their flavors won't alter much.
6. Cut Down on Sugar
3 cups of sugar for your favorite cake? Seems a bit excessive. In many baking recipes, you can easily reduce the amount of sugar by 30-50%, saving you hundreds of calories while still delivering a certain level of sweetness. Additionally, you can even eliminate sugar altogether and sweeten your dish with pureed fruits.
7. Use Yogurt for Desserts
Yogurt in a creamy form can also satisfy your craving for fresh ice cream or sweet pastries. The idea of using yogurt instead of ice cream or pastries as a dessert will make you feel like you're indulging in a scoop of ice cream with significantly fewer calories.
8. Fruit Dipped in Chocolate
If fresh fruits alone don't satisfy you, try dipping them in chocolate (which contains about 100 calories per serving) or peanut butter (only about 60 calories).
9. Share with Friends
Sometimes nothing can fulfill you like a delicious M&M cookie cake. You may even feel like you can't live without it. However, don't attempt to consume all 260 calories yourself. Share it with a friend, or even better, two friends, so you can satisfy your craving with just a few bites without consuming all the calories of the cake.
10. Enjoy in Moderation Every Day
Instead of trying to resist and then giving in to a massive chocolate bar or a large ice cream later due to extreme cravings. This will never help you successfully lose weight, but it doesn't mean you have to give them up completely. In fact, you can have a little bit every day. Just a small amount to satisfy that momentary sweet craving.
11. Utilize Snack Time for Desserts
Eating one to two small snacks with 150 calories each day can help curb temporary hunger, so why not use this time to enjoy a little sweetness. Each chocolate raspberry bar can provide 3.3 grams of protein. Or oatmeal, cashew, and banana brownies with high fiber content can also satisfy your sweet craving instantly.
Compiled by Thanh Hằng
Posted by: Trần Thảo My
Keywords: How to Lose Weight Without Giving Up Desserts?
