It’s not breaking news that we need to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight, am I right ladies? It sounds so easy; you need to eat less than you burn, simple.
However, I bet at some point, you’ve felt like you’ve done everything you possibly can and you just can’t cut down your calorie intake anymore. If you find yourself nodding along with the above, then keep reading as boy do we have some tricks for you.
The 15 smart tips for cutting calories will have you reduce your calorie intake without it feeling like a chore, whilst still being able to eat your favorite foods.
1. Track your calories
Counting and tracking the calories you consume is the easiest way to know exactly what you’re eating and where the opportunities are for you to potentially cut back. We know that previously, tracking your calories has been an annoyance and took too much time, but now there are so many apps to make it quicker, meaning it easily fits into everyday life.
2. Cook your meals
Life is so busy and at the end of a long day, we know the last thing you want to do is stand over the stove and cook a fresh dinner for yourself. But when you buy food pre-prepared, even those meals that are seemingly healthy or low-calorie options, they will contain more calories.
Also Read: 25 weight loss affirmations to help with your body transformation
These meals can also contain hidden fats, sugars and processed foods. Preparing and cooking your own meals would allow you to know exactly what’s going into your meals and have far more control over your calorie intake.
3. Eat smaller plates
Did you know that the average dinner plate is now 44% larger than they were back in the 1980s? How shocking is that? Now, when we eat from larger plates, we tend to fill those plates with food, which then leads to us overeating. By choosing a smaller plate, you can control the portions and curb overeating.
4. Slow down and concentrate on meals
Slowing it down and taking your time with your meals and perhaps chewing a little slower may help you to feel full quicker as it gives your brain more time to catch up with what’s happening. In turn this means you’ll likely eat less. If you’re someone that tends to eat your meals rushed or on the go, try putting your cutlery down between bites or counting your chews.
In addition, if you’re distracted,watching tv or sitting at your computer and working whilst you eat, because you’re focussed on something else, you’re more likely to overeat.
5. Cut back on sauce
I bet you didn’t quite realize just how many calories you can add to your daily intake just by adding sauces like ketchup or mayo to your meals. For example, one tablespoon (15ml) of mayo is 57 calories. Try using less sauce or maybe swap to a low-fat alternative to reduce the number of calories.
6. Keep a healthy home
Now ladies, how hard is it to resist those chips or cookies once they’re in our kitchen cabinets? It’s difficult right. But what if they just weren’t there? The likelihood is, if the snacks aren’t in your cabinets, you wouldn’t even be thinking about scoffing a whole bag of chips.
When you have those types of foods within reaching distance, it’s too easy to raid the kitchen when you’re bored or after a stressful day. Resist that temptation and make things a little easier for yourself by not having them in your home to begin with.
7. Always read the label
Now, not all on the go food is unhealthy. However, there may be hidden sugars, fats, preservatives and processed foods in them that we need to be aware of if we’re watching our calories. If you pay attention and read the food labels, it’ll be so much easier to understand how many calories you’re consuming each day and what you’ll know more about what you’re actually eating, as well as how many portions/servings the food is.
8. Cut back on sugar in hot drinks
Whilst on their own, tea and coffee are healthy and low in calories, this changes once you start to add sugar. Each teaspoon (approx 4 grams) of sugar is 16 calories.
Ladies, I know 16 calories sounds like nothing, but every day that can really start to add up, especially if you’re someone that likes their coffee.
9. Don’t drink calories
A 16-ounce (475ml) bottle of Coke has 44 grams of sugar and is nearly 200 calories. Drinks, especially sodas and other sugary drinks, tend to be ignored as a source of daily calories. Plus, they have links to obesity and type 2 diabetes. If you’re wanting to cut calories from your diet, using 200 of your daily calories for a Coke hardly seems worth it, does it?
10. Get your protein
Eating protein with every meal and upping your protein intake is considered to be helpful for losing weight. This is due to the fact that protein not only fills you up, it keeps you feeling fuller for longer. So ladies, make sure you’re getting that protein with every meal.
11. Eat smaller desserts
If you have a sweet tooth or have yourself a dessert on occasion. When you do, choose a smaller container over the larger container and then take a portion from it. A smaller size container has a limit and you’re more in control, whereas with a larger container, you’re more likely to give yourself a bigger serving and overeat.
Also Read: Mediterranean and Dash Diets: What’s the big deal?
Many brands of ice cream do small portions as well as the sharing sizes.
12. Switch to low-calorie alcoholic drinks
Many of us are so careful about our diets and what we eat all week long; and then the weekend comes around and they have too many drinks, completely undoing their hard efforts. To avoid this, limit your alcohol intake and go with clear alcohol with a low-calorie mixer rather than cocktails, wine and beer.
13. Have water before meals
It’s possible for you to increase satisfaction and lower the number of calories you consume by having a glass of water before your meal. A study has shown that drinking a liter of water before a meal reduces calorie intake by around 13%.
14. Fill your plate with veggies
Shockingly it’s estimated that 87% of Americans don’t eat the daily recommended amount of vegetables. Get more into your diet by filling half of your dinner plate with vegetables. Not only will this make you feel great, but filling your plate with vegetables that are less calories means you’ll be reducing your calorie intake overall as you’re cutting back on the higher calorie foods.
15. Keep away from the bread
When going out to a restaurant for a meal, it can be so tempting to dip into the bread basket before your meal arrives. However, doing this could be adding hundreds of calories to your daily intake unnecessarily, particularly if you’re eating several pieces with butter too. To avoid torturing yourself and overeating, perhaps send the bread basket back to the kitchen.
Ready to feel your best?
With the tips above, you’ll be cutting calories in no time! These small changes make a HUGE difference, believe me!
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