Easy swaps to lose those kilos!

Choosing healthier foods is easier than you may think. By changing just a few eating habits, you can make a huge difference to your diet.

Healthy eating and getting active can help you lose centimeters from around your waist and reduce your risk of chronic diseases such as some cancers, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. There are some simple everyday changes you can make to get you on your way to a healthier lifestyle without losing all the things you love.

The great thing is, you don’t have to stop it, just swap it! Swap inside for outside, or a big meal for a small meal for instance. It’s easy and these basic changes can make all the difference. Plus, the best thing is, you can make them as you go about your everyday life at work, at home or even while out shopping. We’ve included some great swap tips below.

It's all about eating fewer foods that are high in calories, fat, salt, and sugars and swapping them for something healthier, including more fruit and vegetables and whole grains. Remember, small changes can add up to make a big overall difference to your diet.

1.    Sprinkle cinnamon instead of sugar. Here's a spicy suggestion: Use cinnamon instead of sugar packets to heighten the flavor of coffee without adding extra calories. Try it in oatmeal, too!

2.    Drink sparkling water instead of soda. Try a fun flavor like lemon-lime or even vanilla if you don't like straight soda water.

3.    Snack on air-popped popcorn instead of chips. Craving something salty? Air-pop some popcorn, and add a dash of salt—three whole cups is only about 100 calories. That's way more satisfying than six greasy chips.

4.    Spread avocado on bread instead of butter. Add a dash of sea salt and some sliced tomato for a great midday snack.

5.   Use herbs instead of salt. Even if you don't have high blood pressure, it's still wise to watch your sodium—and most of us get way more than the recommended 2,300 mg (about 1 teaspoon of salt) a day. While not always a perfect replacement for salt, distracting your palate with chopped fresh or dried herbs and spices can help ease the transition to lower-salt cooking by waking up other flavors.

6.   Swap Milk chocolate for dark chocolate. Here's an easy way to satisfy your sweet tooth and boost your health: nibble on a little dark chocolate every day. It's rich in flavanols, chemicals researchers have found can improve heart health by lowering blood pressure and reducing inflammation. Other studies suggest dark chocolate may help prevent diabetes by increasing sensitivity to insulin.

7.    Go for brown or cauliflower rice. There's nothing wrong with white rice, but brown rice is better for you because it has more fiber than white. Cauliflower rice is another great option if you want to reduce calorie intake and up your veg count, too.

8.    Red over White. (We’re not talking of wine!) When it comes to sauces, stick to red. White sauces tend to be loaded with cream, butter, cheese, and inflammatory oils. Reds, on the other hand, are filled with vegetables, and often have fewer calories and sugar compared to their white competitors.

9.    Go for thin crust. Most pies are made with refined white flours, are loaded with calories, and known to boost your cravings throughout the day (thanks to their gut-busting amounts of salt!!). If you do cave into your pizza cravings, go for a thin crust. Domino’s small thin crust packs in 490 calories just for the bready foundation. Imagine ordering the 820-calorie hand-tossed crust. One word: Yikes!

10.  Try PB Powder. In the mood to slather some apple slices with peanut butter? Rather than fretting the nearly 200-calorie per two-tablespoon serving, try stirring some peanut butter powder. The powder achieves its slimming nutrition panel by roasting and pressing the peanuts to remove 85 percent of the fat and calories.