You’ve decided to lose weight by controlling your calories. You’re bought into the benefits and even done the calculations to figure out how much you need to lose. Let’s pretend you would need to drop 500-Calories/day to reach your goal of losing approximately 1 lb/wk. By looking at a number of ways you can find and cut some calories and using a few of these techniques will let you build up that deficit! We’ll use Sarah as our illustrator:
1. Identify High-Calorie Foods to cut or replace
Sarah begins by identifying high-calorie foods in her diet that she can either reduce or replace with lower-calorie alternatives. These often include sugary beverages, processed snacks, and high-fat dairy products. Eating or Drinking is the change by swapping from High to Low Calorie foods and drinks. Lose the extra sugar that makes it a fun habit and it’ll slowly become a non-habit.
Example:
- Sugary Beverages: Sarah may decide to replace her daily soda or sugary coffee drink with water or unsweetened herbal tea, saving around 150-200 calories per serving.
2. Control Portion Sizes
Portion control is a crucial aspect of managing calorie intake. Sarah can use measuring cups, a food scale, or visual cues to ensure she’s not overeating. It’s essential to be mindful of portion sizes, even with healthier foods. For most people, this can be a game changer – eat LESS! It’s not about starving yourself since most people are over eating regularly – just eat less of what you eat everyday and you’ll see results.
Example:
- Instead of serving herself a large plate of pasta, Sarah can measure out a recommended serving size, which is typically around 1/2 to 2/3 cup of cooked pasta, saving approximately 150-200 calories.
3. Choose Nutrient-Dense Foods
Nutrient-dense foods provide essential vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients while being relatively lower in calories. Sarah can focus on incorporating more fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains into her meals.
Example:
- Sarah can swap her high-calorie chips for a snack of carrot sticks with hummus, which is not only more nutritious but also lower in calories.
4. Beware Liquid Calories
Calories from beverages can add up quickly. Sarah should pay attention to the calories in the drinks she consumes, including coffee with added cream and sugar, fruit juices, and alcohol.
Example:
- Alcohol and Sugary Sodas might better fit in the High-Calorie foods section as things to cut or replace but these drinks are one of the ways where calories can get stacked into a meal. Drink them knowing that 3-4 drinks can be the equivalent of a whole day’s calorie count.
5. Track Calories
Sarah can use a smartphone app or a journal to track her daily calorie intake. This helps her stay accountable and ensures that she stays within her target calorie range. As a practice this is akin to budgeting – you need to know how much you spend and where before you can tell if you are over or under.
Example:
- Sarah can use a calorie tracking app to log her meals and snacks, making it easier to monitor her daily calorie intake and stay on track. These apps give you estimates of the caloric values based on inputs (some even use pictures!)
6. Plan Meals Ahead
Meal planning and preparation can help Sarah make healthier choices and avoid impulsive, high-calorie food decisions. Combined with the tracking option above – this can create a cycle of learning and improvement as nutritional and eating habits change.
Example:
- Lunch: Sarah can prepare a healthy lunch at home and bring it to work instead of relying on less nutritious options from nearby fast-food restaurants.
7. Stay Hydrated
The little person inside your stomach reminding you that you need food is lying. I recommend drowning them. Thirst can be mistaken for hunger, so drinking enough water throughout the day can help reduce unnecessary snacking or overeating. There are different guidelines which recommend 8 glasses a day and that is roughly in the right direction. The more water you are drinking the less likely hunger is a real issue – at which point it’s just habitual eating which needs to be overcome. This also tends to solve the drinking calories part since the more water you are consuming the less of the calorie rich drink you might be grabbing.
Example:
- Sarah can ensure she drinks an adequate amount of water during the day and consider having a glass of water before meals to help control her appetite.
By implementing these practical strategies and making gradual adjustments to her diet, Sarah can create a sustainable 500-calorie deficit per day. Over time, this calorie deficit will contribute to her overall weight loss goal while allowing her to maintain a balanced and nutritious diet. It’s essential for Sarah to listen to her body, stay consistent with her choices, and seek support or guidance from a registered dietitian or healthcare professional if needed to ensure her weight loss journey is safe and effective.
