With summer body season rapidly approaching, many of us are looking to swap in some healthy alternatives to trim a few pounds. But there are two issues here: eating well isn’t an exact science and dieting, well, sucks.

Luckily, in his book Eat This Not That: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution, wellness guru and former Men’s Health editor David Zinczenko actually recommends eating Big Macs (providing it’s instead of, say, a Whopper). As he explains here, sensible food swaps are an easy way to cut calories, and this goes right down to perceived ‘healthy’ options.

Oh, so we can’t just eat Big Macs?

Sandwich Wraps

“You probably think swapping slices of bread for a wrap is an easy way to cut out calories and carbs. However, many varieties are actually worse for you than a couple of slices of wholegrain, containing more sugar and sodium than bread before you’ve even considered the filling.

“If you simply prefer wraps, look for 100 per cent wholegrain versions and avoid ‘veggie wraps’ as these are often just white flour wraps with a whole heap of food colouring.”

Smoothies

“While it sounds like all those vitamins in one go is a health no-brainer, the hidden trouble with downing your five a day in one go comes from the naturally occurring sugars in fruit. These will send the body’s blood glucose levels into overdrive, leading to sugar cravings an hour later when you crash.

“If you love smoothies, opt for one that has at least 80 per cent vegetables and 20 per cent berries – or cut out fruit altogether and go for ginger to add some flavour.”

Low Fat Cheese

“Cheese is a good source of protein and calcium, but as everyone knows, it’s full of fat and calories. That sees a lot of people opting for low-fat versions – but some swaps are just not worth doing.

“Taste isn’t the only thing that’s sacrificed when you go low-fat. Full fat cheeses, especially fresh feta or goat’s cheese, actually contain a fatty acid that helps you feel full and burn more fat. Just keep the portion sizes under control.”