10 Easy Ways to Cut 100 Calories Or More From Your Diet
Angela Jenkins
| 3 min read
Oh, if there were only a magic pill for weight loss, it would make our lives so much simpler. Unfortunately there isn’t a pill per se, but there is the power of knowing the basic tenet that calories in versus calories out equals weight loss if done properly.
There are a lot of ways we can cut calories from our daily lives. Activity is a sure-fire way to eliminate calories on a daily basis. Making smarter and informed decisions about what we are eating is also a way to help with eliminating calories from our diet.
Feelin’ Saucy
We can get into trouble when toppings, particularly certain sauces, are added to meals. The calories add up quick, and I don’t know about you, but sometimes I don’t even notice if sauce is on my sandwich! To me, that is a waste of calories.
Here are the calorie counts of some common dressings or sauces and some suggested healthier substitutions:
Mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons = 180 calories
- 2 tablespoons of fat-free mayo = 20 calories
- Save 160 calories per serving
Butter
- 1 tablespoon = 102 calories
- 5 squirts of spray butter = 4 calories
- Save 98 calories per serving
Ranch dressing
- 2 tablespoons = 148 calories
- 2 tablespoons of fat-free ranch = 48 calories
- Save 100 calories per serving
Protein Power
It’s true, we all need protein in our daily diets to keep regular functions working properly. But there are definitely some better choices to make when choosing healthy proteins:
Egg
- 2 large eggs = 148 calories
- ¼ cup of egg substitute = 30 calories
- Save 118 calories per serving
Ground beef
- 3 ounces of 70% lean/30% fat = 279 calories
- 3 ounces of 95% lean/5% fat = 115 calories
- Save 164 calories per serving
Chicken
- 4-ounce dark-meat chicken without skin = 232 calories
- 4-ounce skinless, boneless breast = 120 calories
- Save 112 calories per serving
Cheese
- 1-ounce slice = 94 calories
- Eliminate altogether
- Save 94 calories per serving
Snack Attack
Don’t get me wrong, I crave sweet and salty food just like the rest of ‘em. It is nice to have lower-calorie options to choose from so my cravings can be satisfied without all the extra calories and guilt.
Candy bar
- 2-ounce (regular size) Snickers = 271 calories
- 100 calorie snack packs
- Save 171 calories per serving
Potato chips
- 2 ounces of original flavor = 310 calories
- 6 cups of 94% fat-free popcorn= 115 calories
- Save 195 calories
Sweetened drinks
- 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola = 140 calories
- 12-ounce can of Mountain Dew = 170 calories
- 12-ounce pumpkin spice latte with nonfat milk = 200 calories
- 12 ounces of Crystal Light, diet soda or black coffee with sweetener = 0 calories
- Save between 140-200 calories
When I work with members as a health coach, one of the first things I ask them to do is to keep a food journal. I do this for a couple of reasons. First, it raises awareness of exactly what they are eating and how many calories they are consuming. Second, we can look and see where we can make small changes, like the ones mentioned above, to cut calories and head towards weight loss.
Do you have any tricks to cut calories out of your day? I’d love to hear about them.
Source: Live Strong; Calorie Count Photo credit: joshbousel
