Ways to Cut 500 Calories a Day

How are you progressing with your New Year’s resolution  to loss those extra pounds? If  you are experiencing a slowdown or a plateau in your weight lose program try one of these simple ways to cut a few hundred calories a day. You may not even notice that they’re gone! 

• Downsize.  Order a small instead of a medium. Go for the smaller-sized tortilla instead of the large. Grab a smaller handful of nuts. Eat a smaller piece of meat, chicken, or fish.
• Avoid the fat. Fat calories add up quickly, so cut them when you can. Buy tuna packed only in water. Skip the oil entirely if you’re sauteing onions or mushrooms. Use herbs and spices for flavor instead of butter, margarine, or spreads. You won’t even notice the difference!
• Don’t clean your plate. Leave behind just a few bites from every meal. You’d be surprised how just a few bites of food can suddenly become hundreds of calories saved!
• Go for whole. Fruit and vegetable juices can be loaded with calories, especially if they contain sugar! Choose the whole fruit or vegetable instead. Not only will you save tons of calories but you’ll get a lot of valuable fiber.
• Skip the extras. Dressings, croutons, cheese, mayo, sour cream, all these extras — even the low-fat varieties — can add up, even in small portions. 

You might believe that cutting MORE calories will result in faster weight loss, but that’s not actually the case.  You should never consume less than 1200 calories per day. Eating less makes your body think it’s starving (known as “starvation mode”), so it holds onto every calorie, slowing your metabolism.

Choose your food wisely so you give your body the fuel it needs. Aim for a wide variety of foods (instead of the same old thing day in and day out) from every basic food group.   Try new fruits and vegetables and a wide range of lean proteins, including non-meat sources like tofu and legumes. Most, if not all, of the grains you eat should come from whole, unrefined foods like whole-wheat breads and pasta, and brown rice.

These healthy foods, especially when eaten every three to four hours, will help raise and stabilize your metabolism (and energy).

Drink plenty of water. Hydration promotes muscle building (powering your metabolism), while dehydration promotes muscle breakdown.

If you are including exercise as part of your daily weight loss program,  vary the kinds of exercise and work different muscles and different parts of your body. Develop a program that includes stretching, walking or jogging, floor exercises, and using weights.

Using a variety of techniques will boost you over that plateau and help you reach your weight loss goal.

• Blueberry Blintzes
• Irish Cream Glazed Bundt Cake
• Noodles Romanoff
• Cherry Walnut Scones
• Broccoli and Chicken Noodle Soup