Got cravings that sabotage your diet? Let "Hungry Girl" help you! Lisa Lillien, author of Hungry Girl: 1-2-3, explains her strategy: "It's finding guilt-free substitutes for all the foods you think you really shouldn't be eating. For things that are really decadent, there's always a guilt-free, super easy swap that you can make in a matter of minutes!" Check out her suggestions below!

French Toast
A serving of decadent French toast made with thick bread and covered with butter, syrup and powdered sugar could run you over a 1,000 calories and 40 grams of fat! Lisa recommends trying her Jammed with Cheese Stuffed French Toast instead. "Sugar-free jam, light bread, put it in a pan, add some powdered sugar on it - 263 calories per serving!"

Peanut Butter
"Peanut butter is healthy - it has protein - but when you overdo it, it's just a little too much," Lisa warns. "16 grams of fat in just two tablespoons!" Instead of using your regular peanut butter, Lisa recommends substituting PB2, a powdered peanut butter that you mix with a little water and is only 50 calories and 2 grams of fat per serving. She also suggests trying Better'n Peanut Butter. "It tastes a little like peanut butter and jelly mixed together, and it has about 100 calories and 2 grams of fat per serving."

Buffets
With so many delicious choices offered at restaurant and hotel buffets, it's almost impossible to resist temptation. "The most important thing to do at a buffet is that you have to do a lap," Lisa advises. "Take a peek at everything that is there and then make some smart choices." For example, choose a slice of bacon (30-50 calories) over a sausage link (100-150 calories). "And I think you should skip muffins all together," Lisa says, adding that muffins can run you 400-500 calories, and even mini-muffins can have 150-300 calories each. "If you want something muffin-y or sweet, go for an English muffin with a little jam and cinnamon." Lisa also recommends high-fiber cereals, oatmeal made with skim milk, and bagels with the inside scooped out.

Drive-thru burgers
"Stick with the burger," Lisa says, "but leave off some of the stuff that's high in fat and calories." Ask for your burger on a lettuce bun (the option may exist even if not advertised), load up on onions, pickles, tomatoes and relish, and use mustard and ketchup instead of the mayo and the secret sauce. "You're saving about 400 calories and tons of fat grams!"

Related Links

Better'n Peanut Butter

Hungry Girl

Millenium UN Plaza Hotel NY

PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter