Losing weight demands some serious life changes. After all, you need to burn 3,500 more calories than you take in to lose just 1 pound. But if you cut 500 calories a day, you can lose a pound a week—and it will be fairly painless. "Calorie bargaining is all about making swaps and developing habits that are sustainable for the long-term rather than just depriving yourself," says Charles Platkin, PhD, MPH, distinguished lecturer at Hunter College and City University of New York School of Public Health. "A simple swap that cuts 500 calories has a multiplier effect: If it's something you eat three or four times a week, you cut at least 1,500 calories." (Take back control of your eating—and lose weight in the process—with our 21-Day Challenge!) To help guide you, we've put together 20 simple calorie-cutting tips to get you to your weight loss goal. 1. Have your sandwich on a salad. Two big slices of bread with mayo can tally up to 550 calories. 2. Skip the happy hour margarita. Chains that serve margaritas in 18-ounce glasses are tacking on around 800 calories—more than a meal's worth of calories. 3. Opt for black. A grande latte with no added sugar has 220 calories, while a cup of black coffee has 2. If you typically drink two cups with some sweetener, you're saving at least 500 calories when you switch to black, says Platkin. 4. While you're at it, try a cold brew iced coffee. You'll save about 405 calories over a Starbucks Grande Mocha Frappuccino. 5. Chew slower. Chewing each bite twice as much as you normally do allows you to feel fuller on less food. Research suggests you can reduce what you eat at each meal by 100 to 120 calories—eliminating nearly 400 calories—and you can be satisfied on smaller snacks this way, as well. 6. Quench your thirst with water and a lemon squeeze instead of soda. You'll save nearly 200 calories for every cola you skip; swap out three drinks a day and you'll easily clear 500 calories. 7. Cook your meals at home. A 2014 study found that people who cooked dinner at home consumed about 140 fewer calories than people who typically ordered in, dined out, or heated up pre-made meals. Make your own breakfast and lunch and you'll be nearing that 500-calorie deficit. 8. Don't sit still. A Mayo Clinic study found that people who fidgeted throughout the day burned 350 more calories than their sedentary counterparts did. Head out for a stroll for some window shopping during your lunch hour to burn an additional 150 calories. 9. Ask your waiter to box up half your meal before it gets to the table. You'll save about 750 calories on average, according to a new study. Researchers found that a typical meal at an American, Italian, or Chinese restaurant contains nearly 1,500 calories—far more than anyone needs at one meal. 10. Swap prime rib for sirloin. You'll cut about 700 calories. A 16-ounce prime rib at a restaurant has about 1,400 calories. A sirloin steak, on the other hand, is only 700. For even bigger savings, chose filet mignon—typically 9 ounces and just 450 calories.' 11. Put your fork down between bites. Slowing your pace at meals will allow you to eat up to 300 fewer calories a meal, according to a study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Over a day, your savings will be well over 500 calories. 12. Get 7 to 8 hours of sleep. You'll cut at least 300 calories. Research shows that sleep deprivation not only slows our metabolic rate, but also increases our appetite for sweets. One studyin the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that people who slept 4 hours per night consumed 300 more calories than people who slept a normal amount. Well-rested folks are also much more likely to exercise, and even a short workout can burn 200 calories. 13. Work out before breakfast—and don't eat after 7 p.m. The combination will save about 520 calories. A recent Japanese study found that when you exercise before breakfast, you metabolize about 280 more calories throughout the day, compared with doing the same workout in the evening. And a study in the British Journal of Nutrition reveals that eliminating nighttime snacks helped people consume 240 fewer calories daily. 14. Don't dip your bread in olive oil. Just a few slices will quickly add up to more than 500 calories—and it won't put much of a dent in your hunger. Yes, olive oil is a healthy option, but as a condiment, it mostly adds calories. Instead, avoid the bread plate altogether. 15. Eat in front of a mirror. A study published in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Researchfound that when people watched themselves eat in a mirror, they chose healthier options and ate about 400 fewer calories on average. Bonus: Having a male meal partner led women to eat less, saving 113 calories, according to research published in Appetite. Source
