Small changes to cut out calories...

wench02

Just thinking, has anyone got any tips for cutting out "unnecessary" calories. I'm not on a diet, and have no intention of doing so. However just wondering if using things like the fry lite spray and low fat custard etc really could make a difference?

wondercollie

You have to really read the labels on low fat products. Often there is more sugar or a whack of chemicals.

What I find helpful is portion control. Read the packet. If two biscuits are 100 calories, that is all I get.

Taking lunch to work works for me. I know what's in my food.

pollypenny

Weighing portions, especially things like cereal. Eat fruit rather than drink fruit juice.

ThemeOne

Cut out any snacking, sugar in hot drinks and practice portion control - traditional tips, but probably still the best.

Eric_the_half_a_bee

Eat more veg - this crowds out calories and improves nutritional balance

Mojisola

Lots of small things can add up.

Have a plate that's a different colour to the food so that the amount you're putting on it shows up well - you'll serve a smaller portion if the contrast is good.

Use a smaller plate/bowl that usual.

Don't have snacks in a handy place (if you have them in the house at all). If treats are easily available we eat more of them.

Don't open a packet of crisps or sweets or a box of chocs and eat directly - put some in a small bowl and put away the packet. If the packet is in front of you, you'll keep dipping into it and your brain won't register how much you're eating.

The same with meals - if you eat on the run or while watching TV or scanning your phone, you'll eat more than if you take some notice of how much you're eating.

If you fancy a snack or something sweet, delay getting it for 15/20 minutes - often the moment will pass and you won't bother.

Eat real food - highly processed food doesn't need so much work from your digestion system and you'll feel hungry sooner.

Kantankrus_Mare

I'm in sort of the same situation. Dont really need to lose weight but I know a lot of my calorie intake is from junk. I have a cup of tea and biscuit habit.......which added up through the day is a lot of empty calories. :eek:

Not the Sunday just gone but the one before I decided to just go cold turkey on the biscuit front and so far have stuck to it. First few days were hardest as I think the body gets used to a constant supply of sugar.

For the times I get a craving, I get a soda and lime and have a few grapes which seems to satisfy the sweet craving.

I dont want to cut sugar out all together as I enjoy the odd bit of chocolate and cake.........but the biscuits just had to go!!

fairy_lights

Cheese.
I used to eat cheese sandwiches for lunch most days and was pretty horrified when I realised how many calories there were in my teeny tiny sandwich. Switched the cheese for ham and it made a big difference.
I'd suggest logging your food on an app like myfitnesspal for a while as it will show you where you can easily cut down.

trailingspouse

Ditto with the cheese. My OH has had great success on the 5:2 diet (lost 2 stone). He's now kept the weight off for 3 months. The changes he's made to his 'normal' diet are as follows -
- eat much less cheese. He used to have cheese and biks most evenings as a snack. Now he only has them maybe twice a week - and only 4 crackers and 4 small pieces of cheese.
- reduce alcohol. We used to have a glass of wine nearly every evening - now we have one on a Friday night and a Saturday only.
- home made salad for lunch
- portion control and smaller plates
- takeaways - if we get a Chinese, we share a main and a rice. It's more than enough!! If we get fish and chips, he only has the fish (takes off the batter) and mushy peas.
- don't have rubbish in the house - I never buy crisps or sweets, and only one pack of biscuits a week (they're mostly for me - he has maybe one biscuit a week these days).
- don't be afraid to leave food on your plate. For my OH, this has been the biggest 'thing' - he was brought up in a home where money and food were thin on the ground, and it took a lot of talking for him to work out that if he didn't want to finish a plate of food, it was OK.

It's been a major life-change for him, and he looks and feels so much better.

Katiehound

If you feel hungry try drinking a glass of water... you may not be hungry at all! To make it a little more exciting add a chopped strawberry or a good squirt of lemon.
Fill up on vegetables rather than fruit

curious4deals

Cut out the chips, chocolates and biscuits (opt for fruit instead) for 1 month and see the results!!