7 Tips to Easily Cut Calories

7 Tips To Easily Cut Calories

You don’t have to obsessively count calories to lose weight. This may come to a shock to most of you but when I work with my clients on weight loss, we actually don’t focus on calories. Instead, we focus on filling their plate with healthful foods in proper proportions and honoring their hunger and fullness. I promise that just by becoming more aware of these things, you will probably end up consuming way fewer calories, while losing weight in the process. The best part is that my clients get to eat from an empowered state rather than feeling deprived. Deprivation is no fun and not sustainable. Let me share some easy ways to cut calories that you can do right away to feel lighter and healthier.

7 ways to cut calories

Fill half your plate with non-starchy veggies

Vegetables are nutrient dense meaning they are packed with healthy vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber and are low in calories. They provide a ton of volume which help you feel like you are eating more while consuming fewer calories. Gone are the days of boring bland vegetables. Think delicious air fried Brussels Sprouts, sauteed kale, spaghetti squash, hearts of palm pasta, cauliflower mash, roasted broccoli, zucchini noodles or a smoothie packed with a ton of spinach. Aim to get some veggies with every meal!

lean Protein at every meal

Protein is the building block of your body. If you want to preserve your muscle mass, consuming adequate protein is key. And the reason we want more muscle on our body, is not just because it’s sexy and keeps us strong, but it also increases our metabolism. The more muscle we have, the more calories we are burning even when we are just sitting around binge-watching Netflix. Protein is also super satiating meaning it helps us feel full. A meal without protein may leave you feeling unsatisfied and reaching for more food. The goal is to feel satisfied and happy, not hungry. Think an omelette, veggie scramble, protein oats or a protein smoothie for breakfast. For lunch, think turkey wraps, a loaded salad topped with chicken breast, tuna salad, chickpea pasta, etc. For dinner, think grilled salmon, grass-fed steak, sashimi/sushi, grilled or baked chicken, turkey meatballs, etc.

greek yogurt instead of sour cream or mayo

Greek yogurt is high in protein and as mentioned above, that will help you feel full. There are plenty of low fat versions which means fewer calories. You can sub this in for most dishes calling for sour cream, heavy cream, or even mayo. Opt for organic and grass-fed whenever possible. I use this in my tacos, in wraps, with my grain-free Siete chips, to make delicious dipping sauces, and in my chicken salads.

Don’t drink your calories

Skip the calorie loaded beverages. It is way too easy to consume too many calories when they come in liquid form. My preferred beverage of choice is WATER and it’s 0 calories. If you are the type that needs some flavor, you can add some fruit like lemon, cucumber, raspberries or strawberries to spruce it up. If you are a soda lover, swap those out for a lightly flavored seltzer like La Croix, Spindrift, or Waterloo. Do not go for the diet soda! Even though those have 0 calories, the artificial sweeteners in them are doing more harm than good, causing you to have more cravings later on to get the calories that should have come with that sweet fix. Beware of the super sugary decadent coffee drinks too. Your best bet is a plain coffee or tea with a splash of milk or non-dairy milk and if you need some sweetener, go with a little stevia or honey.

Be mindful of dressings and sauces

A salad often sounds like the healthiest choice on the menu, however many come with dressings that are loaded with unhealthy oils and/or sugars. You can make your own healthy salad dressing at home if you want to be sure exactly what’s going in your body. You would be surprised but a little extra virgin olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper actually go a long way. Be careful to not douse your healthy salad in a ton of dressing either. When you order a salad from a restaurant, always ask for dressing on the side. Being mindful here can easily save you a couple hundred calories.

Swap out the starches with some high fiber/low cal veggies

Instead of regular pasta, try spaghetti squash or zucchini/carrot noodles with your favorite pasta sauce. A new favorite is hearts of palm pasta or edamame pasta. Instead of regular pizza, try cauliflower crust pizza. Swap out your tortilla in tacos and make delicious lettuce cups. You can even swap out the burger bun and make a lettuce wrap burger or a burger in a bowl. You’ll be surprised that you can feel completely satisfied and fulfilled if you do these right. There are some amazing alternatives to the traditional carby meals these days.

Eat slowly

Have you ever eaten so fast that you ended up being so uncomfortably stuffed, wishing you hadn’t eaten so much? It takes some time for your brain to register when you are actually full and if you eat too fast you may miss that cue. Aim for a 20 minute meal. The slower you eat, the less you will need to eat to feel full. Also, slower eating is linked to better digestion and improved metabolism. Check in with yourself when you are eating and aim to stop at 80% fullness. Just by being mindful about slowing down while eating, you can save yourself a ton of unwanted calories and feelings of bloat, indigestion, and even regret.

Hope this list helps you out in feeling lighter, healthier, and satiated!

If you’re interested in more ways to lose or maintain your weight in a healthy way, then set up a free health strategy session with me!

Cheers to a healthy happy you!

xoxo,

Coach Kristine

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