The term “dieting” is often misused. You don’t have to diet, as long as you are mindful of what you eat. Calorie counting can be a bummer of sorts, especially if you are a working professional, who has to eat out at least once a day. So, how do you keep those calories in check? We have listed some incredibly easy ways to reduce your calorie intake.
Replace your soda
Liquid calories are often ignored. All those ready sodas have a good amount of added sugars, and you may end up consuming more calories than in a mini meal. Instead, switch to sugar free soda, which many brands offer now. You can find low-sugar varieties that contain better choices than refined sugar like cane sugar, while the sugar-free ones often have plant-based sweeteners like stevia and other artificial sweeteners.
Cut down on proportions
People are surprised to know the number of calories one can reduce by simply cutting down the proportions of food they eat. For instance, if you like eating a lot of rice, just replace a part of that with salad. Make sure that the food is visual to you, and cut down the proportions in every meal, one step at a time. The only aspect that needs attention is how you balance the nutrition, because you don’t want to deprive your body of the good things.
Snack smart
Most of the snacks available in packets have loaded sugars, and we don’t tend to read between the labels. Make sure that you are not consuming more of unhealthy snacks that contain a lot more calories than a standard meal. Instead of French fries in the afternoon, have a bowl of yogurt with berries. Similarly, ensure that you are not eating anything that has hidden calories. For example, fried peanuts have way more calories than the roasted ones.
Make a plan for the cheat day
We all tend to take to cheat days rather easy. When you are restricting calories all through the week, you don’t want to eat it all on the cheat day. Instead, plan your meals for the day. If you want to have pizza, grab those two to three slices for lunch, but ensure that you eat normal for the rest of the day. Also, avoid eating more than two cheat meals in a day or two.
Check online for brands that sell sugar free sodas, and do read product labels before buying things.