20 SIMPLE WAYS TO CUT DOWN CALORIES
To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn.
However, reducing the amount of food you eat can be difficult in the long run.
Here are 35 simple yet highly effective ways to cut calories and lose weight.
1. COUNT YOUR Calories
One way to make sure you're not eating too many calories is to count them.
In the past, recording calories was quite time consuming. However, modern apps have made it quicker and easier than ever to keep track of what you eat.
Some apps also offer daily lifestyle tips to help you stay motivated. This can be more helpful than just recording your intake, as it can help you form healthy, long-term habits.
2. USE LESS SAUCE
Adding ketchup or mayonnaise to your food can add even more calories.
In fact, just 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of mayonnaise will add 57 extra calories to your meal.
Try eating a little less or not at all to reduce the amount of calories you're eating.
3. DON'T DRINK CALORIES
Beverages can be a forgotten source of calories in your diet.
Sugary drinks, such as soda, have also been linked to obesity and type 2 diabetes.
A 16-ounce (475-ml) bottle of Coke contains nearly 200 calories and 44 grams of sugar.
One study found that drinking a lot of sugary drinks not only adds many unnecessary calories to your diet, but can also increase your feelings of hunger afterward.
You need to cut back on other high-sugar, high-calorie drinks. These include alcohol, some prepackaged coffee drinks, juices, and sugary smoothies.
4. NO SUGAR IN TEA AND COFFEE
Tea and coffee are healthy, low-calorie drinks, but adding just 1 teaspoon (4 grams) of sugar adds about 16 calories to your drink.
While this may not sound like much, the calories in a few cups or glasses of sweetened tea a day also make you fat.
5. COOK YOUR OWN FOOD
When you buy food prepared by someone else, you don't always know what's in it.
Even meals that you consider healthy or low in calories can contain hidden sugars and fats, increasing their calorie content.
Cooking your own meals gives you better control over your calorie intake.
6. DON'T KEEP SNACKS IN THE HOUSE
If you keep junk food within reach, it'll be much easier to eat.
It can be especially problematic if you tend to eat when stressed or bored.
To prevent the desire to find unhealthy snacks, you should not buy them.
7. USE SMALLER PLATES
On average, today's dinner plates are 44% larger than they were in the 1980s.
Larger plates lead to larger servings, which means people are more likely to overeat.
In fact, one study found that people with larger dinner plates at a buffet ate 45% more food than those with smaller plates.
Choosing a smaller plate is a simple trick that can keep your portions on track and limit overeating.
8. EAT MORE VEGETABLES
Filling half of your plate with veggies is a great way to increase your vegetable intake and cut back on higher-calorie foods.
9. DRINK WATER BEFORE MEALS
Drinking water before a meal can help you feel fuller, causing you to eat fewer calories.
For example, one study found that drinking just 2 cups (500 ml) of water before a meal reduced calorie intake by about 13%.
10. EAT LOW-CALORIES APPERTIZERS
Studies show that choosing a low-calorie appetizer, such as soup or salad, can help keep you from overeating.
In fact, one study observed that eating soup before a main meal can reduce the total number of calories you eat by up to 20%.
11. EAT SLOWLY
Taking time for meals and chewing slowly can help you feel full faster, which can help you eat less.
12. SMALL TIPS WHEN EATING
Sometimes, even healthy, low-calorie meals like salads can be surprisingly high in calories.
This is especially true when the salad comes with a generous amount of high-calorie dressing to be poured on top.
If you like dressing for your salad, put it on the side so you can control how much you use.
13. REVIEW YOUR PORTION
Faced with large amounts of food, people are more likely to overeat.
This is a problem people run into at buffets, where it's easy to eat more than you intended.
To avoid overeating, you can try weighing and measuring your portions or use a smaller plate, as suggested above.
14. EAT WITHOUT DISTRACTIONS
Studies show that if you're distracted while eating, you're more likely to overeat, even at later meals.
In fact, a recent review found that people who are distracted by eating consume 30% more food than those who are mindful of their meals.
Unhealthy recreational practices including watching TV, reading, using cell phones or sitting in front of a computer while eating should be avoided.
15. NO NEED TO EAT ALL FOOD IF YOU CANNOT
Most people have a habit of eating everything that is presented to them.
However, you don't have to eat all the food on your plate if you're not hungry.
This means eating with attention to what you're doing and how you're feeling.
With this awareness, you can only eat until you are full, not until you clear your bowl.
16. EAT SMALL FOOD
Many popular brands of ice cream and chocolate have small as well as large versions.
If you want to indulge in sweets, choosing a smaller version of your favorite dessert saves you a lot of calories.
If you're eating out, cut back on your portion by sharing your dessert with someone else.
17. BRING LEFTOVER HOME WHEN GOING OUT
Restaurants often serve huge servings that contain more calories than you need.
To avoid overeating, ask the waiter to wrap half of your meal before serving so you can take it home.
One study found that people who successfully maintain weight loss often share food or order half a portion when they eat out.
18. EATING WITH DIFFERENT HAND
This may sound a bit odd, but if you're someone who tends to eat quickly, eating with your non-dominant hand can help.
It will slow you down so you eat less.
19. INCLUDE PROTEIN IN EVERY MEAL
Eating a lot of protein is considered a useful tool for weight loss and maintenance.
One reason for this is that protein can make you fuller than other nutrients, and feeling full can prevent you from overeating.
To get these benefits, try adding protein-rich foods to most of your meals.
20. DON'T EAT BREAD IN RESTAURANTS
When you're hungry, you'll want to grab a pre-dinner snack at a restaurant.
However, this routine can add hundreds of calories to your meal, especially if you eat the bread and butter served with it.
