Simple Swaps—Improving Your Eating Habits

Adopting a heart healthy lifestyle doesn't have to mean completely changing what you eat. With simple ingredient substitutions, it's easier than you think to enjoy the recipes you love and lower your intake of saturated and trans fats. Try our 3-day meal plan to see how healthy eating can work for you.

Basic Substitution Tips

• Choose fats and oils wisely when baking or cooking. Limit the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol (butter, shortening, and lard) and choose unsaturated types - such as vegetable oils and soft, non-hydrogenated spreads, like Promise^®—that are lower in saturated fat and contain no trans fat or cholesterol.
• Replace up to one-third of the oil called for in salad dressings and marinades with an equal amount of broth, frozen fruit juice concentrate or strong tea, or vegetable purées.
• Substitute fiber-rich foods such as beans for meat in dishes like lasagna, or try replacing one-third of the ground beef in a recipe with bulgur (cracked wheat kernels) soaked in water or cooked brown lentils.
• Add vegetables and fruit to recipes (try apricots and zucchini in muffins, and spinach or eggplant in egg dishes) to boost fiber.

The Secret to Swapping

The secret to successful substitution in your recipes is experimentation. Be sure to write down what you've substituted and how much. If the flavor doesn't work for you the first time, don't be afraid to try different variations.

Recipe calls for:	Substitute:
butter	soft, non-hydrogenated spread that is low in saturated fat
whole milk	skim or 1% milk
cream	2% or evaporated milk
eggs	2 egg whites for every whole egg
sour cream	1% or fat-free sour cream
mayonnaise	light mayonnaise
oil for sautéing	water, broth, or tomato juice
1 lb (500g) ground beef	1/2 lb (250g) extra lean ground beef plus 14 oz (398 ml) can cooked lentils or beans
cream cheese	low-fat pressed cottage cheese
chocolate chips	raisins or dried fruit for half or all the chips

Effortless Exercise

Who said you have to "work out" to stay in shape? No matter what your lifestyle, incorporating fitness into your daily life is easier and more natural than you think. Here are a few suggestions that can help make you fit fitness into your daily routine.

At Work

• Park your car a little further away from work so you can get in a walk.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
• Program your computer or handheld to sound an alarm reminding you to get up and stretch every hour.
• Keep a pair of running shoes at your desk and turn lunchtime errands into a power walk.
• Each Monday, schedule a "lunch date" with yourself to walk around the block. Start with one day a week, and work up from there.
• Consider using a stability ball instead of a chair.
• Join a gym that offers lunchtime or after-work classes in yoga, aqua fitness, boxing or some other activity you enjoy.

At Home

• Keep a jump rope by the back door and skip for a few minutes each day.
• Put an exercise machine like a stationary bicycle, a treadmill or a step climber in front of the television, and work out while you watch. Start with 10 minutes and build up.
• Do 25 toe lifts each time you brush your teeth.
• Do 10 squats or stretch while you're on the phone.
• If you're a parent or grandparent, have a play-date with the kids in the park where you can play too—teeter-tottering, monkey bars and the swings build strength and core conditioning.
• Stretch in bed before you rise each morning or before you go to sleep at night.

At Play

• Rediscover your neighborhood on walks and bike rides.
• Go for a swim at a local lake or community pool; create your own personal goals.
• Take weekend hikes with your family.
• Join or create a social sports club with work friends. Consider outdoor sports like baseball and ultimate Frisbee, and indoor sports like racquetball and ice hockey.
• Turn fun occasional activities into regular exercise, like salsa dancing, skating or cross-country skiing.
• Make regular weekend errands a regular workout. For example, find the perfect birthday gift by going the distance—literally.

Remember, ask your doctor before engaging in strenuous physical activity.