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Simply thinking of the word “diet” conjures up thoughts of pain and misery. It doesn’t have to be this way though. Following last week’s theme of seven simple swaps to effortlessly cut Calories, here are seven simple strategies to EFFORTLESSLY cut Calories.
1) Out of sight, out of mind.
I’m a big advocate of moderation. You shouldn’t deprive yourself of foods you like while on a diet; however, if you don’t do well with moderation, don’t keep junk food in the house. It’s hard to be tempted by something that isn’t there.
2) Use less sauce and condiments.
Sauces and condiments can be a major source of unaccounted for Calories. For example, one extra tablespoon of mayonnaise will set you back 100 Calories. To make matters worse, they don’t add any actual substance to the meal.
Those extra Calories aren’t helping you get full faster. For that same 100 Calories, you could have just over two ounces of chicken, 3 cups of broccoli, or an apple, all of which contribute to fullness and have essential nutrients.
3) Order dressing on the side.
Some restaurants put an excessive amount of dressing on their salads, erasing any possible hopes of having a fat loss friendly meal. Ordering your dressing on the side will allow you to control exactly how much dressing you put on your salad.
Bonus Tip:
I have had clients who decided to bring their own dressing to restaurants. If you know ahead of time you’re going to a restaurant that doesn’t have any low Calorie dressing options, you can bring your own from home.
4) Drink water before your meal.
Our stomachs have stretch receptors that tell the brain when we’re full. Drinking water before a meal “pre-stretches” the stomach, helping you to get full faster. One study found that drinking a standard 16.9 oz (500 mL) bottle of water before a meal reduced Calorie intake during that meal by 13% [1]
5) Eat a low-Calorie appetizer.
While sipping on your water, go ahead and have a low Calorie soup or salad along with it. Having a low Calorie starter can help you reduce Calorie intake in a similar fashion as with the water before a meal tip. [2] One study showed a 20% decrease in total meal Calorie intake when having a soup before the meal. [3]
I would also suggest this strategy is mentally superior as well. This is because you are able to have a starter and a main course, helping you to not feel deprived, saving our limited willpower reserves for later use.
6) Downsize
If your sweet tooth is calling and you just have to answer, order a kid’s size. We’re conditioned to eat whatever is in front of us. If we order a large, we’ll eat a large. If we order a kids size, we don’t have the option to overeat. (Click to Tweet this!)
7) To-go Boxes
If you’re getting full at a restaurant, don’t choke the rest of your food down. Save the leftovers for lunch the next day. In addition to saving you Calories, this will also save you from having to make lunch the next day. (It will save you from a stomach ache as well.)
Takeaway
Fat loss doesn’t have to be complicated. Simply think of the things in your diet that you can substitute, reduce, or remove that won’t cause you pain. Or in the case of the water before meals and soup before meals, adding something to your diet can actually help. (Personally, I eat MASSIVE salads when I’m on a diet.) Grab the low hanging fruit before considering changes to your diet that will be more painful.
Thank you so much for reading! If you found this information helpful and want to help the Treadaway Training blog grow, simply share this post with a friend. If you like what I have to say, sign up below to become a Treadaway Training insider and get notified for each blogcast and video. I will be back here Thursday with another fat loss topic. As always, God bless you AND your family and I'll see you Thursday.
