If you’re on a mission to lose weight or have hit a weight-loss plateau, you know something needs to change.
While exercise is one integral part of the solution, changing the way you eat is also essential.
The good news is that even simple, minor changes to your diet will cut your daily caloric intake.
Cutting just 100 calories from your daily diet can help you reach your weight loss goals safely and overcome a plateau. And it doesn’t have to be hard!
Here are 20 easy ways to cut 100 calories from your daily diet.
1. Change your coffee
Fancy coffee drinks are often filled with calories and sugar. Switching to regular coffee and skipping the sugar (or using a zero-calorie sweetener), or swapping creamer for unsweetened almond milk will save you dozens of calories. Downgrading your coffee cup one size will also help eliminate up to 100 calories.
2. Change your milk
Switch to skim milk or non-fat instead of whole fat milk or 2%. One cup of skim milk is approximately 83 calories; whole milk is nearly 150 calories a cup!
Even better, drink almond milk or coconut milk instead. These dairy-free milks, which are lower in sugar and calories, are also packed with nutrients. Unsweetened almond milk is just 30 calories a cup and coconut is just 45!
3. Snack wisely
While they may be more expensive, you can purchase a number of 100-calorie snacks. These portion-sized snacks will help prevent you from overeating. For example, an average serving of almonds is more than 160 calories, and how many of us actually eat just a handful?
4. Choose popcorn over chips
Three cups of air-popped whole grain popcorn instead of chips will cut your calories in half. Skinny Pop popcorn is just 43 calories a cup and it’s delicious. A bag of Lays potato chips is nearly three times that amount.
5. Substitute oil
Use low-salt chicken broth to keep vegetables or chicken from sticking to the pan instead of oil or butter.
6. Leave off the cheese
Skip the cheese when ordering a hamburger or sub, or when making your own sandwich at home. One slice of Cheddar cheese is approximately 113 calories; Swiss is 106; American is 105. Dress your sandwich up with vegetables instead.
7. Limit meat portions
Although meat is full of protein and nutrients, that doesn’t mean they are low in calories. Your meat portions should be 3-4 ounces, which is about the size of a deck of cards.
8. Don’t supersize
If you absolutely must have French fries with your fast food meal, choose the smallest order size, choose sweet potato fries, or opt for the kid’s meal, which has smaller portions.
9. Change your sandwich
Another effective way to trim calories is to leave off the top piece of bread on your sandwich. An open-faced sandwich is just as tasty. To take it one step further, swap both pieces of bread for lettuce. On average, white bread is 80 calories per slice; wheat is about 70.
10. Watch your beverages
The bottom line is that you should drink water or zero-calorie beverages. Even sugar-free beverages have some calories. Infuse your water with fruits and veggies, such as lemon and cucumber, for flavor. Or try a calorie-free, flavored sparkling water like LaCroix.
11. Split dessert
If you’re out with friends, split that must-have dessert amongst two or three of you.
12. Go easy on the mayo
One tablespoon of mayo delivers 90 calories. Use mustard on your burger or a light salad dressing on your sandwich instead.
13. Tone down the rice
Stir-fry is delicious and can be healthy, but cut your serving of rice in half. If you’re eating Chinese food, opt for steamed rice rather than fried.
14. Modify recipes
Leave out oil when making pancakes (use a non-stick pan) and substitute applesauce for oil in recipes. When making mashed potatoes, use Greek yogurt rather than milk or cream.
15. Be careful with salad dressings
Salads can be full of hidden calories and sugars. Keep your salad dressing to under two tablespoons or switch to vinaigrette and low-fat dressing instead. You can also make your own low-calorie versions.
16. Measure food
Don’t guess. Use a measuring cup to check your portion sizes. You could be eating way more than you thought. Remember the almonds?
17. Breakfast substitutes
You need a good breakfast to keep you going throughout the day and it’s easy to overeat all those delicious morning treats. To cut calories during breakfast, use almond milk instead of regular milk in cereal, an English muffin instead of a bagel, skip the egg yolk when making an omelette, use cooking spray rather than oil, and so on.
18. Swap fruit for veggies
Fruit is good for you, but some fruit is very high in calories and sugar. Instead of having a large banana with your lunch, substitute it with snap peas to save calories. A large banana is more than 100 calories while snap peas are about 35. Or rather than a bunch of grapes, have sliced carrots and celery sticks.
At the Amarillo Town Club, we understand how challenging losing weight can be. That’s why we have a number of ways to help you reach your weight loss goals! From personal training and a variety of group fitness classes to modern machines and free workout guides, we have everything you need to get fit and healthy.
Allow us to help you find your fitness!
