Losing weight can be quite a challenge if you don't have the right tried and true skills. When it comes to adjusting your diet, we interview The Nutrition Twins®, Tammy Lakatos Shame, RD, CDN, CFT, and Lyssie Lakatos, RD, CDN, CFTwho breaks down how many calories to cut per day if you want to lose weight.
Nutrition Twins emphasizes, “While we don't usually tell people to count calories because we want them to focus on including more nutrient-dense foods rather than cutting them out, which can take away from the joy of eating and lead to overly restrictive eating habits and disordered eating, know that How to cut calories and do things that help you lose weight is still a good thing.”
Read on to learn more about how many calories to cut each day, and next, check out the 5 worst “empty-calorie” foods to make you gain weight faster.
Here's how many calories to cut each day to lose weight.
Losing weight safely and healthily means losing one to two pounds per week, explains The Nutrition Twins. If you're currently maintaining your weight, you can lose about a pound per week by cutting out 500 calories per day. If you cut out 1,000 calories per day, you could lose about two pounds per week. “Of course, reducing calories by 1,000 calories per day is not recommended for those who are already on a low-calorie diet,” adds The Nutrition Twins.
When it comes to effective tips to help you count and cut calories to support your weight loss efforts, The Nutrition Twins has you covered. Check them out below.
Don't waste calories on drinks.
You may not have thought about how many calories are in some of your favorite beverages, but every calorie counts — especially when you're trying to lose weight. “Your brain doesn't compensate for the calories you drink, making you want to eat less later,” says The Nutrition Twins. “Swapping a 12-ounce can of soda for sparkling water saves 150 calories.”
Put the oil in a spray bottle.
When you're whipping up a fresh salad or cooking with it, instead of pouring the oil straight from the bottle, pour it into a spray bottle. After all, every tablespoon of oil contains a whopping 120 calories!
“Most people pour many tablespoons of oil into their cooking, so using a spray bottle can save you hundreds of calories at every meal,” explains Nutrition Twins. “Whether you're using a spray bottle on your breakfast omelet, your lunch salad, or your dinner pan stir-fry, you can save hundreds of calories with every meal.”
Serve your meal on a salad plate.
A Simple Weight Loss Tip That Can Make a Big Difference? Swap the large plate for a salad plate. Here's a sneaky way to help you eat smaller portions.
“Eat your meals off your salad plate,” advises Nutrition Twins. “They're much smaller than a dinner plate, and since most people fill their entire plate, no matter the size, you can assume you'll save hundreds of calories per meal by doing so.”
Start your meal with a fresh green salad or steamed vegetables.
Consider starting your meal with a fresh green salad with lemon or some steamed vegetables. This will curb your hunger, and you won't burn too many calories at all while doing it!
“By replacing high-calorie dressings, butter and oil with lemon to flavor food, most people can save at least 200 calories per meal by doing so,” adds The Nutrition Twins.
Boost your meals with vegetables.
While we're on the veggie train, augmenting your meals with vegetables is another smart idea. For example, if you're making shrimp pasta, steam a few cups of broccoli or your favorite veggies, then add them to the mix! After all, vegetables are definitely one of the best foods to eat if you're trying to lose weight because they're high in fiber and will keep you feeling fuller for longer.
“The portion size of this meal will be much larger, you can save some for another day, and the vegetables will reduce your calories by at least 250 to 300 calories. Do this in all your meals, from Chinese to American to Thai dishes,” says Nutrition Twins.
Sweeten food with cinnamon.
Ditch the sugary cereal and yogurt the next time you're at the grocery store. Instead, choose unsweetened varieties and sweeten them a little with “naturally sweet, calorie-free cinnamon.” According to The Nutrition Twins, “[Cinnamon] Rich in antioxidants and promotes healthy blood sugar. This variation can save 50 to 100 more calories. “
Swap the mayonnaise for avocado.
Another thing to give up? mayonnaise. If you enjoy sandwiches, tuna salad, or chicken salad for lunch, swap out the mayonnaise for fresh avocado.
“While a tablespoon of mayonnaise will cut you 100 calories, an ounce (1/5 of an avocado) is 50 calories. Many restaurants put two tablespoons of mayonnaise on sandwiches (200 calories), while an ounce of cream Heart-healthy avocados (50 calories) save 150 calories in a deliciously moist dressing,” explains The Nutrition Twins.
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