5 Ways to Cut Back on Calories

I'm already thinking about my family's trip to Cuba this Christmas. Of course, I want to be able to (confidently) rock a bikini on the beach. To get a bikini ready body when you are already working out hard, means you must look to your diet. Personally, I eat healthy but I know my weakness is too many carbs. (Mmmm carbs) I don't want to change my diet completely but I know that if I cut back on things here and there I will have a beach body in a few months.

If you want to lose a few pound without taking any drastic diet changes try cutting out calories in the meals you already eat. It's so easy, you won't even notice anything is missing!

Five Ways to Cut Back on Calories

1. When you have a burger, go for an open faced sandwich or "steak style" (bun free)

A hamburger bun can be more than 200 calories. In addition to fries which are also high in calories and carbs it's not the greatest meal for weight loss. However, if you eat only half of the bun or none at all you easily cut back while still enjoying a "forbidden" meal. Once a week I eat veggie burgers with baked sweet potato fries, sprinkled with Cajun powder. It's almost too good to be healthy!

2. Cut back and limit dips, spreads and toppings.

If you were to eat a tablespoon of peanut butter instead of 2, you save 100 calories. If you cut back on ketchup you are saving a pile of calories, mostly from sugar! Dips can kill a diet. Get salad dressing on the side and try not to eat it all. It's seriously high in saturated fat.

3. Break a meal up in to 2.

I really enjoy a veggie burrito with soup. Instead of eating it all in one go, I like to eat the burrito first. That keeps me content for a couple of hours. When I get hungry again I eat the soup. If I didn't, you can bet I'd be after something else, adding to the days overall calorie consumption. Breaking meals up in to smaller ones, keeps you full all day. No feelings of deprivation whatsoever!

4. Cut back on portions.

This one seems obvious but I think it's an underrated tip! Cutting back on 100 calories a day from an overall portion of say, pasta or rice will equal to a pound of weight loss in just over a month. 100 calories of rice or pasta in a main course is not a lot at all. Yo won't even notice it's gone!

5. Count Calories.

Don't become obsessed with counting calories but if you try keeping track of what you are eating for a few days you will have a better idea of where you should cut back. Chances are, you will get bored after a few days but you will get a great idea of exactly what you eat and how much. People regularly overestimate how many calories they burn during exercise and underestimate how much they eat.

I hate the idea of being unhappy while trying to tone up. Changing your body should be a positive and fun thing to do. Not some kind of punishment or torture.

Use these tips in addition to switching to low fat food and diet pop if you have not already, to lose a few pounds for your next vacation, reunion or just because!

Try It!