How to Cut Calories Without Breaking A Sweat
- Track Your Calories
The best way to master calorie control is to keep track of your food intake. You need to estimate the number of calories you burn every day at rest. Most food tracking apps or an online calculator can help you keep track of this number. It is crucial to make a habit of tracking your calories on the foods and beverages you take every day including cheat meals on holidays, bad days, and weekends. Getting a snapshot of your daily calorie intake is the best habit to build for better nutrition.
- Use Portion Control
Many people often underestimate their calorie intake because they do not estimate serving sizes correctly or do not track everything consistently. Although estimating your food intake can help you get closer to your weight loss goals, the only way you can get it right is by understanding your portion sizes. Instead of guessing, use measuring cups or learn how to weigh your food when cooking at home. It can be quite difficult to estimate your calorie intake if you are eating out or enjoying foods without any knowledge of their nutrition facts.
- Eat a Satiating Diet
One of the factors that could affect your ability to reduce daily calorie intake is increased appetite. It is easy to eat anything and everything on your path when you are always hungry all the time. When this happens, you will not care about how many calories you consume as long as your belly is full. Fortunately, other foods can help control your hunger without increasing your calorie intake beyond normal. This includes foods rich in protein, fiber, and perhaps a moderate amount of healthy fats.
- Take Plenty of Water
Drinking plenty of water instead of soda or sweetened drinks can help you cut many calories. Water is not only calorie-free but also offers more unique benefits that you will not get in carbonated drinks. Water is very important for several body functions such as digestion and metabolism. Another unique benefit of drinking plenty of water is you need more of it to burn fat efficiently. Since it fills your stomach partially, you are more likely to do less than you do thus controlling your portions and calorie intake.
- Practice Mindful Eating
Mindful eating is the ability to eat with more awareness and intention. Studies show that you can understand your hunger fullness cues by paying more attention to your food, slowing down on how fast you eat and learning to enjoy your food a bit more. Mindful eating leads to decreased food cravings, automatic calorie control, and increased willpower and motivation to achieve your weight loss goals. The best way to practice mindful eating is to get rid of distractions every time you sit down for a meal e.g., turning off your TV and placing your phone away.
- Get Enough Sleep
It is quite difficult to keep your eating habits and willpower in check if you are constantly running on insufficient sleep. Sleep plays a significant role in how your body functions daily. Lack of quality rest not only messes up with your metabolism but also interferes with your appetite-regulating hormones. This sends a signal to your brain that your body needs more energy from the food you eat. In most cases, the type of food your body calls for is often high-carb options that increase your sugar cravings. It is important to make rest more of a priority by aiming to get at least seven hours of sleep each night, uninterrupted.
There is no magic pill for natural weight loss. If you want to lose weight the right way, you need to choose between exercise and a customized diet. Although you can lose weight without exercise through consistent calorie deficit, combining the two can help you achieve your goals faster. However, you should not cut your daily calories way too low as it could cause more damage than good.