Exchanges

Healthy Exchanges and Weight Loss Choices/Exchanges

If you've ever been on one of the national weight-loss programs like Weight Watchers or Diet Center, you've already been introduced to the concept of measured portions of different food groups that make up your daily food plan. If you are not familiar with such a system of weight-loss choices or exchanges, here's a brief explanation. (If you want or need more detailed information, you can write to the American Dietetic Association or the American Diabetes Association for comprehensive explanations.)

     The idea of food exchanges is to divide foods into basic food groups. The foods in each group are measured in servings that have comparable values. These groups include Proteins/Meats, Breads/Starches, Vegetables, Fats, Fruits, Skim Milk, Free Foods, and Optional Calories.

     Each choice of exchange included in a particular group has about the same number of calories and similar carbohydrate, protein, and fat content as the other foods in that group. Because any food on a particular list can be "exchanged" for any other food in taht group, it makes sense to call the food groups exchanges or choices. 

     I like to think we are also "exchanges" bad habits and food choices for good ones!

     By using Weight Loss Choices or exchanges you can choose from a variety of foods with out having to calculate the nutrient value of each one. This makes it easier to include a wide variety of foods in your daily menus and gives you the opportunity to tailor your choices to your unique appetite. 

     If you want to lose weight, you should consult your physician or other weight-control expert regarding the number of servings that would be best for you from each food group. Since men generally require more calories than women, and since the requirements for growing children and teenagers differ from those of adults, the right number of exchanges for any one person is a personal decision.

     I have included a suggested plan of weight-loss choices in the pages following the exchange lists. It's a program I used to lose 130 pounds, and it's the one I still follow today.

     (If you are a diabetic or have been diagnosed with heart problems, it is best to meet with your physician before using this or any other food program or recipe collection.)

Food Group Weight Loss Choices Exchanges

Not all food group exchanges are alike. The ones that follow are for anyone who's interested in weight loss or maintenance. If you are a diabetic, you should check with your health-care provider or dietitian to get the information you need to help you plan your diet. Diabetic exchanges are calculated by the American Diabetic Association, and information about them is provided in The Diabetic's Healthy Exchanges Cookbook (Putman). 

     Every Healthy Exchanges recipe provides calculations in three ways:

• Weight Loss Choices/Exchanges
• Calories, Fat, Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fiber Grams, and Sodium in milligrams
• Diabetic Exchanges calculated for me by a Registered Dietitian

     Healthy Exchanges recipes can help you eat well and recover your health, whatever your health concerns may be. Please take a few minutes to review the exchange lists and the suggestions that follow on how to count them. You have lots of great eating in store for you!

Proteins

Meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, cheese, and legumes. 

One exchange of Protein is approximately 60 calories. Examples of one Protein choice or exchange:

1 ounce cooked weight of lean meat, poultry, or seafood

2 ounces white fish

1 1/2 ounces 97% fat-free ham

1 egg (limit to no more than 4 per a week)

1/4 cup egg substitute

3 egg whites

3/4 ounce reduced-fat cheese

1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese

2 ounces cooked or 3/4 ounces uncooked dry beans

1 tablespoon peanut butter (also count 1 fat exchange)

Breads

Breads, crackers, cereals, grains, and starchy vegetables. One exchange of Bread is approximately 80 calories. Examples of one Bread Choice/exchange:

1 slice bread or 2 slices reduced-calorie bread (40 calories or less)

1 roll, any type (1 ounce)

1/2 cup cooked pasta or 3/4 ounce uncooked (scant 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup cooked rice or 1 ounce uncooked (1/3 cup)

3 tablespoons flour

3/4 ounce cold cereal

1/2 cup cooked hot cereal or 3/4 ounce uncooked (2 tablespoons)

1/2 cup corn (kernels or cream style) or peas

4 ounces white potato, cooked or 5 ounces uncooked

3 ounces sweet potato, cooked, or 4 ounces uncooked

3 cups air-popped popcorn

7 fat-free crackers (3/4 ounce)

3 (2 1/2-inch squares) graham crackers

2 (3/4 ounce) rice cakes or 6 mini

1 tortilla, any type (6-inch diameter)

Fruits

All fruits and fruit juices. One exchange of Fruit is approximately 60 calories. Examples of one Fruit choice or exchange:

1 small apple or 1/2 cup slices

1 small orange

1/2 medium banana

3/4 cup berries (except strawberries and cranberries)

1 cup strawberries or cranberries

1/2 cup canned fruit, packed in fruit juice or rinsed well

2 tablespoons raisins

1 tablespoon spreadable fruit spread

1/2 cup apple juice (4 fluid ounces)

1/2 cup orange juice (4 fluid ounces)

1/2 cup applesauce

Skim Milk

Milk, buttermilk, and yogurt. One exchange of Skim Milk is approximately 90 calories. Examples of one Skim Milk choice or exchange:

1 cup skim milk

1/2 cup evaporated skim milk

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

3/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt

1/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder

Vegetables

All fresh, canned, or frozen vegetables other than the starchy vegetables. One exchange of Vegetable is approximately 30 calories. Examples of one Vegetable choice or exchange:

1/2 cup vegetable

1/4 cup tomato sauce

1 medium fresh tomato

1/2 cup vegetable juice

Fats

Margarine, mayonnaise, vegetable oils, salad dressings, olives, and nuts. One exchange of fat is approximately 40 calories. Examples of one Fat choice or exchange:

1 teaspoon margarine or 2 teaspoons reduced-calorie margarine

1 teaspoon butter

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon mayonnaise or 2 teaspoons reduced-calorie mayonnaise

1 teaspoon peanut butter

1 ounce olives

1/4 ounce pecans or walnuts

Free Foods

Foods that do not provide nutritional value but are used to enhance the taste of foods are included in the Free Foods group. Examples of these are spices, herbs, extracts, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce. Cooking sprays and artificial sweeteners used in moderation are also included in this group. However, you'll see that I include the caloric value of artificial sweeteners in my Optional calories of the recipes. 

     You may occasionally see a recipe that lists "free food" as part of the portion. According to teh published exchange lists, a free food contains fewer than 20 calories per a serving. Two or three servings per a day of free foods/drinks are usually allowed in a meal plan. 

Optional Calories

Foods that do not fit into any other group but are used in moderation in recipes are included in Optional Calories. Foods that are counted in this way include sugar free gelatin and puddings, fat-free mayonnaise and dressings, reduced-calorie whipped toppings, reduced-calorie syrups and jams, chocolate chips, coconut, and canned broth. 

Sliders

These are 80 Optional Calories increments that do not fit into any particular category. You can choose which foods groups to slide them into. It is wise to limit this selection to approximately three per a day to ensure the best possible nutrition for your body while still enjoying an occasional treat. 

     Sliders may be used in either the following ways:

1. If you have consumed all your Protein, Bread, Fruit, or Skim Milk Weight Loss Choices for the day, and you want to eat additional foods from those food groups, you simply use a Slider. It's what I call "healthy horse trading." Remember that Sliders may not be traded for choices in Vegetables or Fats food groups.
2. Sliders may also be deducted from your Optional Calories (OC) for the day or week. 1/4 Sl equals 20 OC; 1/2 Sl equals 40 calories; 3/4 Sl equals 60 OC; and one Sl equals 80 OC. This way, you can choose the food groups to slide into.

Healthy Exchanges Weight Loss Choices

My original Healthy Exchanges program of Weight Loss Choices was based on an average daily total of 1,400-1,600 calories per a day. That was what I determined was right for my needs, and for those of most women. Because men require additional calories (about 1,600-1,900), here are my suggested plans for women and men. (If you require more or fewer calories, please revise this plan to your individual needs.)

     Each day, women should plan to eat:

2 Skim Milk servings, 90 calories each

2 Fat servings, 40 calories each

3 Fruit servings, 60 calories each

4 Vegetable servings or more, 30 calories each

5 Protein servings, 60 calories each

5 Bread servings, 80 calories each

     Each day, men should plan to eat:

2 Skim Milk servings, 90 calories each

4 Fat servings, 40 calories each

3 Fruit servings, 60 calories each

4 Vegetable servings or more, 30 calories each

6 Protein servings, 60 calories each

7 Bread servings, 80 calories each

     Young people should follow the program for Men but add 1 Skim Milk serving for a total of 3 servings. 

     You may also choose to add up to 100 Optional Calories per day, and among 28 Sliders per week at 80 calories each. If you choose to include more sliders in your daily or weekly totals deduct those 80 calories from your Optional Calorie "bank."

     A word about Sliders: these are to be counted toward your totals after you have used your allotment of choices of Skim Milk, Protein, Bread, and Fruit for the day. By "sliding" an additional choice into one of these groups, you can meet your individual needs for that day. Sliders are especially helpful when traveling, stressed-out, eating out, or for special events. I often use mine so I can enjoy my favorite Healthy Exchanges desserts. Vegetables are not to be counted as Sliders. Enjoy as many Vegetable Choices as you need to feel satisfied. Because we want to limit our fat intake to moderate amounts, additional Fat Choices should not be counted as sliders. If you choose to include more fat, on an occasional basis, count the extra choices as Optional Calories.

     Keep a daily food diary of your Weight Loss Choices, checking off what you eat as you go. If, at the end of teh day, your required selections are not 100 percent accounted for, but you have done the best you can, go to bed with a clear conscience. There will be days when you have 1/4 Fruit or 1/2 Bread left over. What are you going to do--eat two slices of orange or half a slice of bread and throw the rest out? I always say that "Nothing in life comes out exact." Just do the best you can...the best you can.

     Try to dink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Water truly is the "nectar" of good health. 

     As a little added insurance, I take a multi-vitamin each day. It's not essential, but if my day's worth of well-planned meals "bites the dust" when unexpected events intrude on my regular routine, my body still gets its vital nutrients. 

     The calories listed in each group of Choices are averages. Some choices within each group may be higher or lower, so it's important to select a variety of different foods instead of eating the same three or four all the time. 

     Use your Optional Calories! They are what I call "life's little extras." They make all the difference in how you enjoy your food and appreciate the variety available to you. Yes, we can get by without them, but do you really want to? Keep in mind that you should be using all your daily Weight Loss Choices first to ensure you are getting the basics of good nutrition. But, I guarantee that Optional Calories will keep you from feeling deprived--and help you reach your weight-loss goals.