Easy Steps to Cut Calories Today

The biggest battle during weight loss seems to be how to cut those non-essential calories from your day to day meal plan to eventually LOSE WEIGHT.

I have seen my mom struggle with Yo Yo dieting and friends of friends go to extreme measures to lose weight. But it's not about that. It's about learning to eat right, educating yourself on what is actually healthy, reading labels to actually know what you are putting into your body and having the right motivation and support system around you.

I know what you're probably thinking- what does she know about having to lose weight? Granted I have never been over weight, but it's for the aforementioned reasons that got me to a point to want to educate myself so I am able to help others. Having psoriasis for over 10 years was another reason to make me want to eat better. Though psoriasis has many triggers, eating right is a great way to start.

Now I am happy to say I am an American Fitness Professionals Associates Certified Nutrition and Wellness Consultant! It is a closer step to eventually becoming a registered dietician.

So with the summer in full swing, I wanted to write about simple ways to cut calories out of your meals. Best thing? You can start them today!
With some help from my wonderful Women's Health, read on and thank me later :)

BREAKFAST cut 100 calories
- Gotta have carbs? Split a whole wheat bagel with a co work and use non-fat cream cheese or sugar free jelly.
- Ditch the Pop-Tart for a slice of high-fiber toast with strawberry jam.
- Scramble together four egg whites instead of two whole eggs. Egg whites are more lean and feel free to season with herbs and spices as much as you want. My tip: serve on a whole wheat English muffin and slice of pepper jack or Swiss cheese, mmmmm!

LUNCH
- Slather your bread with mustard rather than mayo and save 80 calories per TABLESPOON!
- Make your burger with turkey, not beef. Rich tasting, less sodium which will help that stubborn waistline.
- Reach for a bottle of Snapple raspberry white tea instead of Snapple raspberry iced tea. Way less sugar and your taste buds won't know the difference. And white tea has proven benefits including flavonoids, an antioxidant which inhibit the growth of cancer cells and prevent development of new ones.

DINNER
- Substitute a serving of nonfat Greek yogurt for a serving of sour cream- on any meal! My tip- I never eat sour cream. On our Taco Tuesdays, I use yogurt instead, and honestly Chris has said it's best he has ever had (he still doesn't know I switch them, shhhhh!) also, when cooking and a recipe calls for mayo, use yogurt instead. It's the same consistency for way less calories and sodium!
- Use low sodium chicken broth instead of oil to sauté meat or vegetable. Oil loses Most of it's heart-healthy antioxidants when burned at high heat. and the veggies will soak up the broth enhancing its flavors!
- When preparing packaged foods that call for butter or oil, like rice or stuffing, use a broth instead.

HAPPY HOUR
- Ordering a cocktail? Make it on the rocks instead of frozen. Slushy fruit drinks tend to be made with bottled mixers that contain added sugar and syrup.
- Pop the cap off an MGD 64 instead of Killians Irish Red. MGD has 64 calories versus 163 and taste just the same! Chris drinks these and I actually don't mind them when I want the taste of a beer minus the calories.
- Drizzle extra hot sauce, not blue cheese or ranch, on your wings. Ranch is one of the worse dressings for you- sodium ridden and calorie filled, the only time you want this to touch your lips is if you dip your veggies sticks in it!

AT THE DRIVE-THROUGH
- Pass up a Wendy's backed potato with sour cream and chives and chow down on Value Fries instead.
- Crunch on one Taco Bell regular taco (fresco menu pref) instead of a Ranchero Chicken Soft Taco. And load up on all the hot sauce you want- the capsaicin in the peppers and hot sauce are heart healthy.
- Make your daily pick-me-up at Starbucks a skinny (only a 130 cals) sugar free vanilla latte, not a regular one.
- Go for grill marks! Order a flame-broiled chicken sandwich rather than one that's breaded (and usually fried in oil).

ON YOUR SNACK BREAK
- Move your stack of (insert your fav candy here) six feet from your desk- you'll dip in half as often!
- Have a half cup of fresh grapes instead of that little snack box of raisins. My tip- pre pack them the night before, and they're ready to go the next day so you don't have to think about it!
- Lay off the Lay's Classic Potato chips (please!) and have a handful of Rold Gold Pretzels. My new fav snack- pretzel chips. Less sodium and baked not fried.
- Satisfy a crunch craving with baby carrots, instead of potato chips. My tip: stock up on these on your next shopping trip: PopChips! They are not baked or fried. They are pressurized under heat till they pop. Which limits the amount of salt, and partially hydrogenated oil needed and used. You won't ever go back to regular chips again!

Have any snack tips that have worked for you please feel free to share!

As always:

HEALTHY EATING!




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