Are you struggling to cut calories? Try these 5 tips to easily reduce your calorie intake!
1. Choose the Alternative – when buying foods and snacks, look for sugar-free, low-fat, non-fat, and any other words that pertain to being “better” for you. Just be sure to compare calorie content and serving size of the “healthier” option vs. the real thing. Sometimes fat content will go up in a product that has less sugar to compensate for the missing sugar so the consumer won’t miss out on flavor.
2. Portion It Out – when you purchase a food, immediately grab some Ziploc baggies and a measuring cup (the size of the serving size listed on the nutrition facts) and measure out the exact portion stated on the container. This way you won’t over-indulge on your favorite foods because you will only eat what is in your personal baggie.
3. Use Artificial Sweeteners – these products are a perfect addition to a healthy diet. Made up of sugar alcohols (hydrogenated carbohydrate) they are calorie-free and have no effect on blood glucose levels. This makes them popular for diabetics and those on a low-carbohydrate diet. For someone who loves sweets but is trying to lose weight, a dash of Splenda® in your coffee in place of pure sugar is an excellent option as it has no calories but lots of sweet flavor.
4. Spray Away – cook using no-calorie cooking sprays rather than oils and butter. Your food won’t stick to the pan, and your waistline won’t grow either.
5. Change Your Plate – serve your meal on a smaller plate than usual. You will have to consume less food as the plate will not hold as much food as you previously were serving yourself.
