If you’re looking for ways to whittle away calories without going on a full-fledged diet, then these tips are for you. Use these tricks to cut several hundred calories a day. Then, in just a few months, see the results when you’ve realized some permanent weight loss all without the pain of dieting. Here are some of our favorite ways for cutting calories.
- Beware hidden oils. In a restaurant, ask to have your food cooked with a little stock instead of oil or order steamed or poached entrées. You’ll save around 100 calories per tablespoon of oil. At home, use stock or cooking spray instead of oil or butter when fixing food.
- Use nonfat milk in your coffee. Prepare your coffee with nonfat milk instead of skim or whole milk. For a 12-ounce cup of joe, this will free up about 100 calories.
- Chewing your food twice or longer than you normally would will instantly help you control your portion sizes, therefore decreasing calorie consumption.
- Use smaller plates. Most people eat what is on their plates rather than going by when they feel satisfied. If you use a smaller plate you’ll eat fewer calories without feeling deprived.
- Review restaurant menus before you go. Before you head to a chain restaurant, check out the nutrition information on its web site so you can make smarter meal choices.
- Eat a bowl of high-fiber cereal at breakfast. You’ll consume fewer calories all day.
- Measure out your breakfast cereal instead of just dumping it into a bowl. Overestimating by just 1/3 cup can add 100 calories.
- Use 1 tablespoon less butter, margarine, or oil in your recipes.
- Skim the fat off soups, stews, and sauces.
- Drink water or zero-calorie beverages. It is obviously best to avoid sodas, sweetened tea and sugary sports drinks. But sugar-free beverages that have 10 or so calories per 8 ounces should be avoided as well. And since most of these drinks come in 16 ounce sizes, you are really getting 20 calories per drink. Drink a few of these a day and the calories really add up.
- Decrease alcohol intake by one drink and there goes 100 calories right there. Similarly, substitute two light beers for two regular ones to drop 100 calories.
- Leave off the cheese. When ordering a hamburger or sandwich or making one at home, leave off the cheese to cut 100 calories fast. If you simply must have cheese, choose 3 ounces of mozzarella instead of Swiss to save 100 calories.
- Eat fruit! According to Fitness Magazine, a Pennsylvania State University study showed that people who ate apples 15 minutes before lunch consumed 187 fewer calories.
- Use turkey bacon instead of pork bacon. Substituting just one ounce saves a bit over 100 calories.
- Cook and eat chicken without the skin. You’ll be saving quite a few fat calories.
- Choose a slice of thin crust pizza over thick crust pizza. This saves about 100 calories per slice.
- Use only one piece of bread on sandwiches. Each piece of regular white or wheat bread contains between 75 to 120 calories.
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