Whenever you're trying to lose weight, it can feel like such a struggle. Calories in versus calories out may sound simple formula at first, but it's a lot more difficult when you are trying to do it by making big changes. Lucky for you, there are tons of tiny ways you can slash calories to drop pounds without making yourself miserable. In fact, here are 15 things you can do to cut calories that will add up to real weight loss. Eating less calories? So easy now!
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Some of these changes are so simple to make that you can implement them immediately. Others, like revoking your membership to the clean plate club when you have restaurant meals, will take a bit of practice because old habits are hard to break. Be patient with yourself and remember that new habits take time to form. Now go forth and make tiny changes to reach your goals.
Prepare your meals for the upcoming week on Sundays.
It's hard to do at first, but once you get into the swing of it, Meal Prep Sundays will become your new favorite day of the week. Spend time each Sunday preparing your lunch for the workweek, and even breakfast if you have time. It'll save you rushing in the morning and you can make low-cal meals.
Keep (healthy) snacks full of protein and fiber at work.
Fiber keeps you full, and protein helps you focus. It's no wonder that keeping fiber-and-protein snacks at work is your best bet for those four o'clock hangries.
Stick to an eating schedule by noshing every four hours.
It's common advice but it's popular for a reason: Eating smaller meals throughout the day really DOES help you lose weight. Focus on slightly bigger breakfast, lunch and dinner, and then have plenty of healthy snacks in between.
Make sure to keep quinoa, beans, and veggies in your pantry.
One of the most frustrating things about trying to lose weight is coming home after a long day of work and not knowing what to have for dinner, and then reaching for that tried-and-true takeout menu. But you won't have to do that with a pantry full of canned vegetables, beans and even quinoa. Easy meals are here to stay!
Focus on eating a fruit or vegetable with every single meal.
In fact, start each meal by eating your fruit or vegetables first! It will not only help fill you up thanks to the fiber (yay!) but it will also be a great way to eat the better parts of your meal first, and make sure you get all of those nutrients to boot.
Don't be afraid of full-fat versions of nuts, cheese, and dairy.
The truth about full-fat products isn't that they actually cause you to get fat. Nope! In fact, what causes you to gain weight is sugar and refined carbohydrates like white bread and white rice. Instead, don't be afraid to go for full-fat products since they often (like avocado and nuts) contain the GOOD kind of fats.
Drink a full glass of water before you eat, every time.
Here's the sad reality: About 75 percent of us have a malfunctioning thirst mechanism, meaning that we often think we are hungry when our bodies are actually thirsty. In order to help ourselves out of this mess, make sure to drink a full 8 ounce glass of water before ANY and EVERY meal. Not only will this ensure you're getting your daily fluids in, but it'll also fill you up a bit before your big meal.
Eat a snack before going out to eat (yes, really!).
If you're going to a party or—even worse—a restaurant, you already know that the chances of you overindulging are pretty high. So what should any chica do? Try having a healthy snack, like a Greek yogurt or small toast, just before leaving the house. That way you won't be ravenous as soon as you hit your destination.
Stick to eating only half of your restaurant meals.
Once you are out, however, things can still get tricky. Restaurant portions are often much bigger than a single serving (even if they claim that it's a meal for one!), so it's easy to overindulge. However, if you give yourself a rule and only eat HALF of your meal (saving the rest for tomorrow's lunch, of course), you'll be cutting major calories.
Always, always, always share your dessert.
Just because you're trying to save calories and lose weight doesn't mean that you can't, you know, indulge a little? It would be next to impossible to say no to abuelita's flan anyway, which is why you have a great trick up your sleeve: ALWAYS share your dessert. No matter what, no matter where you are, just remember: two (or three or seven) forks are better than one!
Forget sour cream; try Greek yogurt instead!
A really easy way to save yourself some calories? Try a few simple swaps. Our favorite is using Greek yogurt in place of sour cream. We know that there's probably a LOT of sour cream in your life, but it's easy to fall in love with Greek yogurt instead after a try or two. Trust us, you (and your family) will barely notice the difference.
Try white meat over beef…or even go for Meatless Mondays.
It's hard to give up beef 24/7, but having a lot less red meat will definitely save you in calories and saturated fats. Instead, start by simply choosing more white meat like chicken and turkey over red meat at least half of the time. And when you're really feeling like trying something new, go for Meatless Mondays!
Try going for seltzer with a lime, instead of a soda.
Look, we all know that soda is delicious … but it's not exact the best choice of beverage when you're watching those calories. And while water might actually get a bit too boring sometimes, there IS another option: seltzer! Swap your soda for sparkling water, and you'll be drinking better in no time.
Use the 'plate rule' for your two major meals of the day.
The plate rule goes like this: When eating lunch and dinner (probably your two biggest meals of the day), divide your plate in half. Half of your plate—yes, a full 50%—should be filled with vegetables. The other half should be split again, with one-fourth going to protein and one-fourth going to whole grains. See, it's that simple!
Fast for 12 hours in between bed and breakfast.
We know that midnight snacks sometimes come a'calling, but you'd be better off saving those calories for later on. Instead, try fasting for 12 hours a day: In between dinner and breakfast. Basically, that means that if you finish eating dinner at 8 p.m., you shouldn't be going for breakfast until 8 a.m. the next day.
