Small and Simple

Nutrition Tip of the Week

Small changes that reduce calories:

“By small and simple things are great things brought to pass.”

--Alma 37:6

We all know and love the famous line in Alma that teaches the principle that small and simple things can make great differences in our lives. This principle is not only true with Gospel topics, but also with heath and wellness. The following are some simple changes you can make in your diet that can bring to pass great changes in your overall well-being.

Breakfast

• 1C 2% milk (140 calories) -- 1C skim milk (90 calories)
• If you drink one cup of skim milk each day for a year instead of 2%, you would save 18,200 calories or about 5 pounds.
• 2 fried eggs, 2 slices toast, 2 Tbsp butter, 3 slices bacon (680 calories) -- 1/5 C oatmeal with brown sugar (200 calories)
• Switching from a traditional high-fat egg breakfast to a vitamin and fiber-rich breakfast of oatmeal three times a week for a year would save 74,880 calories or about 21 pounds.

Lunch

• 2 slices pepperoni pizza (350 calories) -- 1 slice pepperoni pizza and side salad (280 calories)
• Substituting in a salad for a second slice of pizza three lunches a week in a year would save about 12,480 calories or about 3.5 pounds.
• 12oz milkshake (500 calories) -- 8oz chocolate milk (160 calories)
• Milkshakes are delicious and we all love them on a hot summer day. By substituting lowfat chocolate milk instead of milkshakes twice a week, you would save 35,360 calories or 10 pounds in a year’s time.

Snack

• 3C caramel popcorn (280 calories) -- 3 C air popped popcorn (90 calories)
• Changing from high calorie types of popcorn to fresh and delicious air-popped popcorn 4 times in a week can save 39,520 calories and about 11 pounds in a year. Not only is popcorn a satisfying snack, but it's also a good, filling source of fiber.
• 2 oz potato chips (300 calories) -- 1 C strawberries (50 calories)
• Switching from chips as a snack to fruit can help save a significant amount of calories. If chips are substituted for fruits 4 times a week, 52,000 calories and 14 pounds can be saved in a year. Fruit is sweet and delicious and makes a very healthy and satisfying snack.

Dinner

• 4 oz ground beef (305 calories) -- 4 oz chicken (130 calories)
• Alternating beef for chicken 2 times per week can decrease your caloric consumption over a year by 18,200 calories or about 5 pounds. Beef is important to include in the diet occasionally, but chicken is a great alternative to help watch calories.
• 1 C Rice-A-Roni (630 calories) -- 1 C brown rice (230 calories)
• Side dishes for dinner are important ways to get nutrients and to add to the interest of the main part of the dinner. By changing your side dish from a packaged Rice-A-Roni to brown rice twice a week, you could save 41,600 calories or about 12 pounds over the course of a year.

All of these ideas in this post are intended to get you thinking about the small and truly simple things you and your family can change in your eating that can have huge impacts over time. Feel free to have that milkshake once in a while, and to enjoy a nice steak on a special occasion. All foods are for our benefit and when eaten in moderation, can enhance our earthly experience. No food is truly “bad” or “good” but with the right tools and education, we can make choices to help us reach our potential.