CUT THOSE CALORIES NOW...

Here Are 10 Easy Ways

Sometimes it feels like you are fighting an uphill battle when trying to lose weight. We all know that keeping an eye on calories is important, but sometimes we feel that cutting back is impossible. Take heart! Trimming your daily caloric intake can be easier than you think! Try a few of the following tips for success.

1. Skip the soda!
Soft drinks are often called ‘empty calories’ for good reason. They offer virtually no nutrients, and are packed with calories that can sabotage your weight loss efforts. Instead, drink water or iced tea. Even adding a bit of sugar to your tea is better than drinking a soda. And don’t think diet soda is much better. Despite having no calories, studies have shown that drinking diet soda can increase cravings for sweets, which can cause you to binge on sweet (calorie-laden) treats!

2. Fill up on salad or veggies!
If you are at a buffet, party, or even at your own home, start with a salad. If salads aren’t available, fill your dinner plate with fresh vegetables. These are great for filling you up without bulking you up. Just watch the sauces, dressings and dips, as these can add calories quickly.

3. Use a smaller plate!
Psychology can play a large part in your weight loss journey. If you use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate, you obviously have less space to pile on food. Not only is there less space, but the food you have on there can actually appear to be more than if you put more food on a bigger plate. Your eyes and mind are telling you that you have a full plate of food, so why would you need to eat more?

4. Drink water!
Water is an essential building block of life, but it can also help you keep your weight in check. Sometimes what we perceive as hunger is actually thirst. Next time you are hungry, drink a large glass of water and wait 20 minutes. If you still feel hungry, it’s probably legitimate hunger for food. Also, drinking a large glass of water before or with a meal takes up room in your stomach, and you will feel full faster.

5. Skip alcohol!
Like soft drinks, alcohol packs a punch with calories but offers no real nutritional value. It can also have the side effect of making people hungry, so binge eating and snacking often occurs with drinking. If you must have a drink, look for the light beer options or drink wine, which generally has fewer calories than harder alcohols.

6. Eat before you party!
It seems counter-intuitive to eat before a dinner party or party where free food will be served, but it can be essential to keeping your daily calorie count within reason. Most party foods are crammed with calories, so eating before you go will make all the yummy treats less tempting. And you’ll have less room for them anyway!

7. Don’t cook too much food!
If you find yourself tempted by second helpings, don’t cook them! Cooking single servings, or immediately putting away leftovers after serving, can help fight the urge to sneak a second scoopful onto your plate. You can’t eat it if it’s not there!

8. Stop buying junk!
Speaking of not being able to eat something if it’s not there…don’t buy junk food! Just don’t keep it in your house. If you have kids, get them used to healthy snacks that the whole family can enjoy. Starting them into healthy eating habits will benefit them through their entire life, and it will help you avoid the temptation that often comes with the high calorie munchies!

9. Stop eating in front of television!
This can be very hard to do, especially with families on the go. You want to maximize your time by combining meals with entertainment. But studies have shown that people who watch TV while they eat tend to consume more calories than folks who eat without the distraction. Instead of focusing on the food and how full you feel, you end up focusing on the entertainment. It’s easy to eat more than you intend when you are distracted.

10. Look for the low-cal options!
This one may seem like a no-brainer, but many people overlook the low-calorie products because they think they won’t taste as good as the full-calorie versions. For some items, this may be true. But food science has made so much progress in the last few years that in many cases you can’t tell the difference. Give it a try! You may discover a new favorite food!

By Jessica den Haan

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