Cutting 100 Calories The Easy Way

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Cutting calories may seem like a daunting task, especially when you're trying to cut hundreds of calories each day to lose the recommended 1-2 pounds per week. Will you go hungry? Will your meals taste like cardboard? Will you have to give up your favorite foods?  Don't worry. When you make small changes, the only difference you'll notice is a drop in the scale! Keep in mind that cutting calories can involve smart substitutions or changes in portion sizes, too. Just remember, start small and work your way up to a new-and healthier-way of eating.  Beverages Drink two 12-ounce light beers this weekend instead of two regular beers. Save 100 calories! Eat a medium orange instead of drinking 12 ounces of fresh orange juice. Save 106 calories! Enjoy 5 ounces of chocolate milk instead of 5 ounces of a chocolate milkshake. Save 110 calories!  Breakfast Spread your whole grain waffles with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup instead of 1 tablespoon of margarine or butter. Save 110 calories! Try 1 ounce of maple turkey bacon instead of maple (pork) bacon. Save 118 calories! Ditch the glazed donut and eat a bagel instead. Save 93 calories! Grab a small bagel instead of a medium bagel. Save 99 calories! Top your small bagel with 1.5 ounces of fat-free cream cheese in lieu of regular. Save 108 calories!  Snacks and Sides Dip 1 cup celery into your favorite salsa or hummus instead of 1 ounce of tortilla chips. Save 125 calories! Snack on 2 ounces pretzels instead of the same size portion of potato chips. Save 94 calories! Bake 2 ounces of oven fries in lieu of 2 ounces of fast food fries. Save 88 calories! Try 1.5 ounces of fresh grapes instead of 1.5 ounces of raisins. Save 98 calories! Swap 1 cup of canned pineapple in heavy syrup for crushed pineapple in juice. Save 119 calories!  Lunch and Dinner Build a sandwich with 1.5 ounces of deli turkey breast instead of an equivalent of hard salami. Save 119 calories! Forget broccoli-cheddar soup. A 7- ounce portion of vegetable soup is better. Save 119 calories! Enjoy 12 ounces of steamed rice (choose brown rice when possible) as an alternative to fried rice. Save 96 calories! Unwrap your 13-inch tortilla wrap and make a sandwich on a 3-ounce whole grain bagel instead. Save 96 calories!  Condiments and Sauces Dip your salad in a side of ranch dressing (2 teaspoons) instead of pouring 2 tablespoons of dressing on the salad. Save 97 calories! Skip the 5 ounces of Alfredo sauce and eat 7 ounces of marinara sauce. Save 129 calories! Add flavor with 3 ounces of hot sauce-not 1 ounce of bleu cheese dressing. Save 117 calories! Try either cheese or croutons on your salad-not both Save 72-116 calories! Sweets and Desserts Serve ice cream in a dish instead of a waffle cone. Save 121 calories! Try a healthier peanut granola bar instead of a peanut candy bar. Save 94 calories! Finish dinner with 1 cup of low-fat frozen yogurt instead of regular ice cream. Save 121 calories! Substitute 5 ounces of apple pie with 5 ounces of baked apple crisp. Save 85 calories! Cutting 100 calories here and there is an easy way to form healthier eating habits without feeling deprived or hungry. With just a few of these tricks up your sleeve, you'll be on your way to reaching your goals in no time!

Cutting calories may seem like a daunting task, especially when you're trying to cut hundreds of calories each day to lose the recommended 1-2 pounds per week. Will you go hungry? Will your meals taste like cardboard? Will you have to give up your favorite foods? 

Don't worry. When you make small changes, the only difference you'll notice is a drop in the scale! Keep in mind that cutting calories can involve smart substitutions or changes in portion sizes, too. Just remember, start small and work your way up to a new-and healthier-way of eating. 

Beverages

• Drink two 12-ounce light beers this weekend instead of two regular beers. Save 100 calories!
• Eat a medium orange instead of drinking 12 ounces of fresh orange juice. Save 106 calories!
• Enjoy 5 ounces of chocolate milk instead of 5 ounces of a chocolate milkshake. Save 110 calories! 

Breakfast

• Spread your whole grain waffles with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup instead of 1 tablespoon of margarine or butter. Save 110 calories!
• Try 1 ounce of maple turkey bacon instead of maple (pork) bacon. Save 118 calories!
• Ditch the glazed donut and eat a bagel instead. Save 93 calories!
• Grab a small bagel instead of a medium bagel. Save 99 calories!
• Top your small bagel with 1.5 ounces of fat-free cream cheese in lieu of regular. Save 108 calories! 

Snacks and Sides

• Dip 1 cup celery into your favorite salsa or hummus instead of 1 ounce of tortilla chips. Save 125 calories!
• Snack on 2 ounces pretzels instead of the same size portion of potato chips. Save 94 calories!
• Bake 2 ounces of oven fries in lieu of 2 ounces of fast food fries. Save 88 calories!
• Try 1.5 ounces of fresh grapes instead of 1.5 ounces of raisins. Save 98 calories!
• Swap 1 cup of canned pineapple in heavy syrup for crushed pineapple in juice. Save 119 calories! 

Lunch and Dinner

• Build a sandwich with 1.5 ounces of deli turkey breast instead of an equivalent of hard salami. Save 119 calories!
• Forget broccoli-cheddar soup. A 7- ounce portion of vegetable soup is better. Save 119 calories!
• Enjoy 12 ounces of steamed rice (choose brown rice when possible) as an alternative to fried rice. Save 96 calories!
• Unwrap your 13-inch tortilla wrap and make a sandwich on a 3-ounce whole grain bagel instead. Save 96 calories! 

Condiments and Sauces

• Dip your salad in a side of ranch dressing (2 teaspoons) instead of pouring 2 tablespoons of dressing on the salad. Save 97 calories!
• Skip the 5 ounces of Alfredo sauce and eat 7 ounces of marinara sauce. Save 129 calories!
• Add flavor with 3 ounces of hot sauce-not 1 ounce of bleu cheese dressing. Save 117 calories!
• Try either cheese or croutons on your salad-not both Save 72-116 calories!

Sweets and Desserts

• Serve ice cream in a dish instead of a waffle cone. Save 121 calories!
• Try a healthier peanut granola bar instead of a peanut candy bar. Save 94 calories!
• Finish dinner with 1 cup of low-fat frozen yogurt instead of regular ice cream. Save 121 calories!
• Substitute 5 ounces of apple pie with 5 ounces of baked apple crisp. Save 85 calories!

Cutting 100 calories here and there is an easy way to form healthier eating habits without feeling deprived or hungry. With just a few of these tricks up your sleeve, you'll be on your way to reaching your goals in no time!

Posted in: Wellness