While we can say that we are going to eat smaller portions, skip the desserts and forgo the creamer in our coffee, but when our body is tired and the will is low, all these choices prove to be a challenge. Sometimes, cutting calories in the wrong food group or totally avoiding food that we enjoy not only leads us to feeling unsatisfied, or worse, deprived and upset.
If you are interested in losing weight by cutting calories, it is important to understand that it might not work for everyone, and that you should check in with your doctor, fitness instructor or nutritionist before beginning any weight-loss plans. If you have decided that lower caloric intake is your choice, here are some sneaky tips to help you reduce your calories secretly without feeling unsatisfied at the end of a meal again.
1. Volumize your meal with fibre
If you are making fried rice, instead of making 1 cup of rice, use ½ cup of rice and two cups of vegetables. Depending on the vegetable, you can save on almost 200 calories and lots of carbohydrates. The volume of space the vegetable fibers take up is also likely to keep you fuller and satisfied. It works with lots of dishes including pastas, soups and omelettes.
2. Never drink your calories
Juices, whether they are cold-pressed, freshly squeezed or off the supermarket shelves, are all high in calories and will not keep you satiated. The juicing process removes all the fibre from your fruits and vegetables leaving behind vitamin and tons of sugar. So when you drink juice, you won’t feel as full as when you chew on the fruits and vegetables yourself. Chewing on fruits and veggies will leave us eating less and feel more satisfied.
3. Swap salad dressing for healthier options
We’ve made the safe choice of opting for a salad lunch and we shouldn’t let the salad dressing ruin our calorie cuts. A harmless looking drizzle of salad dressing typically adds 100 calories. Reaching for citrus like lemon, lime or orange juice adds flavor and moisture in a salad without adding loads of calories. Adding healthy fats from nuts or avocado, helps to boost the flavor and nutrients in the salad and keeps us satisfied while keeping the calorie count low.
