Trim down with these can-do tips.
A little here, a little there. Little changes in your daily routine can make a big impact when you work to lose weight and keep it off. Learn 7 easy ways to trim down on calories.
When you start using these easy ways to trim down on calories, the most important things are to be patient and persistent. Changes don’t happen overnight, but if you commit to working some or all of these simple weight loss tips into your life, you will see and feel a difference over time. Happy trimming!
1. Drink more water.
Sweetened beverages can be a significant source of unwanted calories, refined sugar, and artificial sweeteners. One of the simplest ways to trim calories is to reduce or eliminate these drinks from your diet. It’s okay to start slowly; for example, if you drink three diet sodas each day, cut out one of those and replace it with plain water. Try that for a week, and then eliminate another soda from your daily routine. For a clean flavor boost for your water, try Ginger, Lime, and Mint-Flavored Sparking Water or delish Strawberry-Basil Water.
2. Measure out portions.
Portion control is easy to lose sight of when you’re in the middle of a busy day. You’re distracted by kids or texts, and the next thing you know you’ve got a pile on your plate that’s got twice the calories of a recommended serving size. Get to know your portions or make recipes that are already perfectly portioned for eating that’s easy on the waistline. Enjoy 21 Pre-Portioned Snacks and 5-Day Menu Plan with Perfect Portions.
3. Use smaller plates.
Size does matter when it comes to how you serve food. Reduce calorie intake by eating from a salad plate, which is about five to seven inches in diameter, instead of a dinner plate, which runs about nine inches or larger. Check out these 15 Products to Help You with Portion Control.
7 Easy Ways to Trim Down on Calories
4. Eat plain, nonfat Greek yogurt and add your own flavorings.
If store-bought yogurt is a staple in your diet, replace flavored cups with plain, nonfat Greek yogurt. The Greek yogurt offers extra protein and it’s so easy to add flavor with a teaspoon of honey or a small handful of fresh, tasty berries. Berry and Chia Yogurt Parfait and Yogurt & Blueberry Jam Popsicles are tasty ways to enjoy yogurt without the junk.
5. Fidget.
Pacing, foot tapping, and other fidget-y moves can help you burn as much as 350 additional calories per day, according to scientists [1]. So get up and move as you text or chat on the phone. You can even fidget your way to a healthier weight if you move as you brush teeth or blow dry hair. Grab more tips in 8 Easy Ways to Burn 100 Calories.
6. Top salads the smart way.
Salads are a healthy addition to any weight loss diet, but adding the wrong toppings can turn a salad from healthy to horrendous. Ditch high-calorie, high-fat toppings like bacon, whole dairy cheeses, and heavy creamy dressings. Instead top those greens with one of these 12 Light Homemade Salad Dressings or 11 Tasty Salad Toppings for Weight Loss.
7. Eat clean foods.
Processed foods, like store-bought applesauce cups, often contain extra calories (and sugar) you wouldn’t find in its clean eating counterpart, like a fresh apple or homemade applesauce. If the idea of going completely clean is overwhelming, you can still easy ways to trim down on calories by going clean in one category, like snacks. Try recipes like Instant Pot Applesauce, Skinny Ms. Ranch Dip, or No-Bake Almond Cranberry Energy Balls.
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Get back to basics with our Skinny Ms. 3-Step Weight Loss Program. It offers no-nonsense advice on healthy, clean eating, and fitness so you can reach and maintain your ideal weight.
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