Tip #1 to help you cut back on calories is to make small swaps to recipes and ingredients.
I see this tip shared frequently to help people reduce their calorie intake…which is why I want to make you aware of a common trap we fall into…
We make swaps that make meals taste…disgusting.
They FEEL like diet meals and aren’t like the originals at all!
And that’s basically as bad as cutting out the food completely…if not worse!
Now what swaps you enjoy or dislike is very personal.
For me, as much as I even like cauliflower, cauliflower rice is NOT the same as rice in my burrito bowl.
On the other hand, I have no problem using egg whites over real eggs on my breakfast sandwich.
I have no problem feeling satisfied with a bowl of popcorn instead of chips.
Or I’m fine to use oil spray or even chicken or vegetable broth to cook in over adding tablespoons of oil to the pan.
The key is finding your balance to make meals more calorie friendly while still being enjoyable.
Try adding in greek yogurt over cream to a sauce. Or in baked goods, swap in applesauce for oil!
But find swaps that don’t make you feel like you’re choking down “diet food.”
Tip #2: Is to get pre-portioned snacks or individually wrapped treats.
Think about having that whole pan of rice krispie treats on your counter
Once it has been cut into, it’s there. And you can cut any size you want.
It’s easy to end up eating more than we wanted and more than we should at that time.
That’s why buying pre-portioned snacks and treats can be helpful to start.
It gives us a cut off and a premeasured portion to help us stay on track.
Consider even getting cereals, individual oatmeal packs and snacks in the 100 calorie or individual serving bags!
If you can’t find what you need already portioned out, you can make your own dishes and portion them out immediately so there is that set amount only available.
Tip #3: Make your favorite meals and snacks at home!
If you love going out, don’t avoid restaurants when trying to make changes. There are plenty of healthy options out.
However, if there are calorie dense foods you love that you CAN make at home, you’re going to cut out a ton of calories just through those homemade variations.
You can choose what swaps to make, adjust the portion of ingredients or even completely remove things that won’t impact the taste for you but may add to the calories!
Try baking chips or french fries.
Even make them in the air fryer. Little to no oil will cut back on calories and you can season them to your liking and make only the portion you want to eat.
Try a homemade sundae with halo top and adjust the toppings based on what you like, maybe even swapping in some fresh fruit for a sugary fruit sauce.
But have fun even testing out how you can make variations at home that pack less of a calorie punch!
Tip #4: Don’t wait to eat till you’re starving!
The hungrier we get, the more our portions tend to expand at our next meal.
Not to mention we even tend to eat things we aren’t craving or snack on whatever is available.
We end up consuming more calories than we need simply because we got too hungry before we ate.
Whether you fast and eat one big meal or choose to eat 6 small meals a day, make sure you aren’t going into your meal so hungry you end up eating a bigger portion than you really need.
Consider even drinking some water BEFORE you eat if you have unintentionally gotten to the point of feeling like you could eat anything in sight!
Even if it is just a handful more to tide us over for a bit longer, those calories we munch on when we’re too hungry to care add up!
Tip #5: Pay attention to the cut of protein you consume.
Many of us have heard that we should increase our protein intake when we want to lose weight.
And we should.
HOWEVER, if we aren’t careful, increasing protein can also dramatically increase our calorie intake.
That’s why we want to pay attention to the cuts of meat or types of protein we’re including.
Now that doesn’t mean you have to cut out your red meat if you love it.
But on your burger, try swapping 85% ground beef for 90 or 93% lean ground beef.
Or if you’re plant based, maybe swap in some tofu for tempeh to cut back on those calories.
Little swaps to the cut or type of protein add up!
But be aware that something being advertised as “healthy” or lower calorie, it’s always what it seems!
Note the portion for those calories as you may end up buying turkey bacon only to realize that the portion is smaller than real bacon which is the only reason for the difference!
Tip #6: Pack in the spices!
No one wants to choke down bland and boring food.
If we’re cutting fat we want our food to taste amazing
So as you’re adjusting your nutrition, don’t slack on the flavor.
Pack in those spices to dishes so they taste amazing and you don’t feel like you’re missing out as you make swaps and tweaks to recipes.
You may even find you can eliminate adding more sauce and therefore more calories from meals by packing in more of a flavor punch with seasoning.
You may find a simple dollop of greek yogurt with ranch seasoning replaces your high calorie dressing.
Or that extra garlic cooked in the air fryer with your crispy brussel sprouts makes them a dish the entire family loves!
Tip #7: Avoid eating on the go.
It’s inevitable that sometimes we WILL need to eat on the go.
But the more we can avoid it, the more we can make sure we’re not mindlessly eating or only consuming very calorically dense, easy to carry bars and snacks that don’t help us feel full or satisfied.
Protein bars and even nuts, while convenient and not bad to include, are calorically very dense and NOT very filling.
So you just want to be aware of this when you are trying to cut out calories.
Instead try to pause for a meal when you can and consume something with more bites.
Or if you do need to eat on the go, think about nutrient-dense smoothies that you can keep lower in calories. Adding in low calorie fruits and veggies along with even a protein powder for that boost!
Tip #8: Adjust your portion by just a little.
A little goes a long way.
Small changes add up and give us the ability to slowly adjust our lifestyle without feeling like we’re missing out.
Yet so often we just cut out anything we know isn’t “good.”
Which ultimately leads to us wanting it even more and eventually giving in to the cravings.
Instead of cutting things out, adjust the portion.
Love your morning oatmeal? Try ½ a cup over ¾ of a cup.
Want your after dinner chocolate? Try getting a mini individually wrapped smaller size!
You may find there are adjustments you can more easily make and those that aren’t as satisfying so focus on the smaller tweaks that don’t make you crave more to start!
Tip #9: Simply READ LABELS.
Many of the same foods have different nutritional breakdowns. Some of which vary more than others.
For instance, you can find greek yogurts that range from 80 calories to 170 for about the same individual serving size.
Even breads and sauces that seem like the exact same thing can vary enough to add up over the day.
Even the same types of FRUIT vary with Fuji being more calories than McIntosh.
So don’t be afraid to compare labels or nutritional breakdowns of foods!
It goes back to those small swaps!
Plus, you may find an ingredient that you like even better that fits your macros and your calories even more.
And finally Tip #10…the secret to cutting back on your calories while eating all of the foods you love…
Measure your food! So often we can simply cut out a few calories by actually measuring portions over eyeballing them!
It is easy to allow those portion sizes to become bigger and bigger, especially the hungrier we are or the more we want something.
Not to mention, by measuring out things, we become more conscious of, and even avoid, mindless snacking.
Those bites, licks and nibbles add up!
So measure and track your food.
It is not only accountability and eye opening, but it can help you make those other little changes to easily cut back on calories without restricting the foods you love or missing out!
Often making changes to see results is about making the smallest change we can so we can keep replicating the habits consistently without continually draining our willpower.
Focus on starting with just 1 of these tips today!
And if you’re struggling to lose fat, check out these 2 tips next…
–> 2 Tips For Faster Fat Loss
