Tips To Help You Cut the Calories

  1. Cut out empty calories

    Foods that are processed or contain sugars and white flour are the worst offenders. This list would include soda pop and other sugary drinks, cookies, cakes, crackers, chips, French fries, fruit roll-ups, candy.

  2. Fill up on vegetables

    Everyone knows that these foods are good for you. They also fill you up and you are less likely to overeat. Go for non-starchy vegetables that have few calories and are sometimes considered “free foods” in calorie controlled diets.

  3. Avoid soda pop and other sweetened beverages.

    Actually, this message fits under the first secret above – to avoid empty calories. But it is so important that we are stating it again. Cutting out sugary drinks is the probably the single most important and easiest thing you can do to cut calories, lose weight, and improve your health.

    Drink water and unsweetened tea – these are drinks that are good for you, satisfy thirst the best, and have no calories. Try green tea – a great metabolism booster, and may prevent cancer and heart disease as well.

  4. Increase the fiber content of your diet

    Remember, you cannot digest fiber, so it has no calories. Fiber is very filling and allows you to eat more volume and feel satisfied. The body has to work hard to extract the calories from fiber. This helps to keep blood sugar levels even, insulin levels low, and a lid on your appetite. You can obtain fiber from a variety of sources. Beans and other legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables provide a variety of fiber types.

  5. Watch portion sizes

    Most of us have “portion distortion”. We heap our plates with pasta, we supersize our burgers and fries, and we generally eat a lot more at one time than our bodies can handle. A meat or protein serving is 3 oz., not the 12 oz. steak served by restaurants. A serving of starchy foods (rice, potatoes, pasta) is only ½ cup. Try measuring your portions for a few days to get a mental picture in your mind. Or try the Sonoma Diet, which uses plate and bowl sizes and trains your eye to fill them with the right amount of food. You will find that you are satisfied with smaller portions if you eat slowly and savor every bite.

  6. Keep a food journal

    Research on dieters who have succeeded at weight loss and have kept it off for several years show that this is the most useful strategy for the majority. Another study reported that keeping a food journal was the best predictor of weight loss success through a year-long diet program.

  7. Watch hidden sources of calories.

    These may be in foods you don’t expect. Salad dressings, sandwich spreads that contain mayonnaise, and other fat-laden foods and condiments may pack a huge calorie punch. That low-calorie salad can suddenly become a high-fat food when you heap on the dressing. Use these condiments sparingly or find lower-calorie substitutes. Read labels when available.

  8. Eat slowly, and don’t “shovel”!

    It takes about 20 minutes for the brain to realize “I’m full.” Instead of reaching for second helpings, wait a little while. You will find it easier to push yourself from the table.

  9. Eat at home or pack your own lunch

    Restaurant and fast food fare tends to be high in fat and calories and may even contain a high amount of toxic trans fats. When you do dine out, do your homework. Check out nutrition information on their website, study the menu, and ask questions of the waiter. Know what you’re eating.

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