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6 Steps to Eat Less Try these simple ways to trim calories without noticing the difference 
After the holidays, everyone is ready to shed some extra weight. Especially considering that those who are overweight and obese are at increased risk for hypertension, osteoarthritis, type-2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, respiratory problems and both breast and colon cancer. But no matter how much a person needs to lose, the best way to get started is to eat a little less. Here are six tips from the experts to get started: 1. Watch your intake of fruit While it's true that substituting a banana for a brownie is a fantastic trade-off, both in terms of calories and nutrition, if you're trying to lose weight, it's important to remember that fruit contains calories too. "Most supermarket apples these days are like an apple on steroids," says Jim White, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "They are literally three times the size of a normal apple (one serving). That can take your calorie intake from 60 calories to 180, a difference of 120 calories." Consume an extra 100 calories a day for a month and you will have gained a pound without even knowing it. So while eating whole fruit is an extremely important part of any healthy diet, if you've upped your intake, make sure you are balancing it out by cutting out less nutritious snacks, and increasing your activity level. 2. Be aware at breakfast Breakfast is arguably your most important meal, kick-starting your metabolism and providing both your brain and your body with the energy they need to power you through the day. That said, you don't want to consume half a day's calories in just one sitting, and certain breakfast items can make it surprisingly easy. "Many breakfast cereals have well over 200 calories for one cup, especially granola which can be loaded with fat and sugar, and people often have more than one cup," White says. Sprinkle two cups of cereal (400 calories) with a quarter cup of sunflower seeds (210 calories), a quarter cup of raisins (125 calories) and a cup of whole milk (150 calories), and you've just slurped down an 885-calorie breakfast. "It's important to eat a satisfying, healthy breakfast, but you have to pay attention to serving size," White says. 3. Don't drink your way to weight gain There's a good chance you may be getting excess calories from what you gulp, rather than what you munch on. "Americans get about 20-percent of their calories from beverages - milk, juice, soda, energy drinks, alcohol, decadent coffee drinks, etc.," says Elisa Zied, MS, RD, author of "Feed Your Family Right!" (Wiley, 2007). You can indulge but still trim some excess calories simply by selecting smaller sizes, such as a 10-ounce latte instead of a12-ounce mocha, or a 12-ounce can of soda instead of a 16-ounce bottle. It's also a good idea to go with low- or no-fat dairy over whole, and alternate alcoholic beverages with soda water. 4. Trade it out We all know that it's better to get cheeses, dressings and other high-fat add-ins on the side when ordering salads, sandwiches or wraps, but these items also contain a lot of flavor and provide satisfaction. So start by making trade-offs. "If you really want the croutons and the bacon bits, don't get the cheese and make sure the dressing is on the side," White says. "And have water instead of a soda with your meal." 5. Substitute Yes, fat, salt and sugar certainly add flavor, but there are actually lots of yummy options that still provide great taste but at less of a calorie cost. Zied's tips include: replacing sour cream with honey mustard, salsa or low-fat shredded cheese on baked potatoes; sprinkling grated parmesan cheese or shaved nuts on veggies instead of using butter or oil; using ground sirloin or chicken to make meatballs, meatloaf or meat sauce; using low-fat milk or cheese in recipes like mac-and-cheese, or in sauces used to top pasta or chicken; and buying whole grain crackers instead of baked snack crackers or cookies that are often loaded with extra sugar. 6. Watch portions A healthy diet can include all foods, but the key is to control your portions of ones that are energy dense, such as nuts, seeds and dried fruit, as well as snack items like chips, candy, cookies and cake, Zied says. White recommends making your own 100 calorie packs of any food that might be tempting. "A lot of people, if they have a big bag of popcorn in front of them, they are going to eat the whole thing," White says. "Read labels, determine what the portion size is, separate it and put the rest away." (c) CTW Features |
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