100 Ways to Cut 100 Calories

Sometimes  loosing weight can be easier than we think.  Just by cutting back or cutting out something small from every meal you can reach goals sooner than expected.  When trying to obtain physical goals every little bit really does matter; 3500 calories equal one pound therefore, it is necessary to reduce your average daily intake by 500 calories per day to loose one pound per week.

Here is a simple example of how quickly calories add up:

Decrease approximately 200 calories per week by foregoing Coffee Mate.

1 Tablespoon of liquid, non- flavored coffee creamer or half and half contains 20 calories.  Therefore, if you consume two cups of coffee per day and put two teaspoons of creamer in each cup you are consuming 200 calories per week from creamer alone and if you happen to be a person who likes flavored creamer you can double those calories.

Listed below are 100 ways to cut 100 calories from your diet.  These suggestions are based on some of the most highly consumed products; not all of these suggestions are the most nutritionally valuable nor endorsed by my personal views as a Nutritional Consultant and Lifestyle Educator.
1. Choose low-fat turkey sausage instead of regular sausage.
2. Choose fruit crepes over the higher calorie, higher fat, egg and bacon crepe.
3. Beware of large bagels: look for the smaller 2 ounce size.
4. For that morning latte, choose non-fat milk rather than whole milk.
5. Substitute 4 egg whites or 1/2 cup egg substitute for 2 whole eggs.
6. Substitute light, low-calorie yogurt for classic or custard style yogurt.
7. Choose Diet Peach or Diet Raspberry Iced Tea instead of regular sweetened tea.
8. Substitute low-calorie juice cocktail for regular juice.
9. Substitute a single piece of Canadian bacon for two thick strips of bacon..
10. Trade 2 tablespoons of regular butter for 2 T. of light whipped butter.
11. Use light or sugar-free pancake syrup instead of regular syrup.
12. Instead of drinking 2 cups of whole milk during the day, switch to fat free or goats milk.
13. Top pancakes or waffles with fresh fruit instead of syrup.
14. Choose Emergen-C packets instead of regularor diet soda to save the sugary calories & get a fizzy fix.
15. Instead of ice cream, choose frozen yogurt.
16. Enjoy salsa rather than cheese dip with tortilla chips.
17. Try raw vegetables instead of tortilla chips with your salsa.
18. Choose low fat yogurt or fat free sour cream in your dip mix.
19. Grab the granola bar from the vending machine instead of the fudge nut brownie.
20. Eat a half a cup of fresh fruit instead of a half cup of dried fruit.
21. Choose fruit as a topping on desserts instead of whip cream or syrups.
22. Sorbet or sherbet is a refreshing alternative to premium ice cream (18-20% fat).
23. Have a serving of reduced fat Chex mix rather than peanuts for a snack.
24. Instead of chocolate cake, have a slice of angel food cake.
25. Have one cup of microwave popcorn instead of 1/2 cup boxed caramel popcorn.
26. Skip the high calorie energy drink and choose water flavored with lemon or lime.
27. Order thin crust pizza vs. pan pizza with thick crust.
29. Order baked potatoes with only one high-calorie topping (butter, sour cream, etc.).
30. Ask for grilled fish without sauce and flavor it yourself with fresh lemon or lime juice.
31. Order a deli sandwich with sliced whole wheat bread instead of a bagel or croissant.
32. At Mexican restaurants, ask for steamed corn tortillas to dip in salsa instead of high fat chips.
33. If restaurants do not offer a low-calorie salad dressing, use regular dressing sparingly.
34. Instead of french fries, order a cup of broth-based soup as a side item.
35. Use mustard or low-fat mayonnaise on a sandwich rather than regular mayonnaise.
36. At Italian Restaurants, order minestrone or vegetable soup as an appetizer instead of garlic bread.
37. Select Canadian bacon and pineapple as pizza toppings.
38. Choose minestrone and other broth-based soups over cream-based soups.
39. Choose red sauce rather than cream-based sauces on pasta.
40. Use snack size flour tortillas rather than burrito size tortillas.
41. Choose sour cream OR guacamole rather than both.
42. When eating out, order from the a la carte menu.
43. Select an appetizer as your main entrée.
44. Choose the burrito rather than the fried chimichanga.
45. Omit the lard when making refried beans.
46. Choose soft tacos rather than crispy tacos.
47. Opting for tofu instead of meat will significantly decrease calories.
48. For that chocolate craving, choose the snack size bar rather than the regular size.
49. Bake, rather than fry, your french fries.
50. Eliminate the extra butter on your popcorn at the theater.
51. Choose spring rolls rather than fried egg rolls.
52. Enjoy steamed rice rather than fried rice.
53. In Chinese restaurants, choose stir-fried dishes rather than sweet/sour or sesame dishes.
54. Remember that Chinese vegetables are low in calories, tasty and filling.
55. Use broth or marinade instead of 1 Tablespoon of oil for stir fry.
56. Remove the skin from chicken pieces.
57. Cook roasted or rotisserie chicken rather than frying it.
58. Eat baked potato chips rather than regular potato chips.
59. Replace 8 ounces of fruit juice or soda with water.
60. Use tuna packed in water rather than tuna packed in oil.
61. Follow the low fat directions on the box when making brownies, cakes and cookies.
62. While baking, puree prunes or substitute applesauce for the oil in recipes.
63. Use chicken broth instead of butter or margarine in stuffing.
64. Omit or decrease by half the butter or margarine in boxed macaroni and cheese.
65. Omit or decrease by half the oil listed in the directions of boxed side dishes.
66. Ask for salad rather than fries as a side dish.
67. With salad dressing on the side, dip your fork into the dressing then into your salad.
68. Choose fruit or vegetables over higher calorie snacks (e.g., cookies, chips).
69. Choose lite beer or wine spritzers instead of frozen or fruit based drinks.
70. Grill a sandwich with non-stick spray rather than butter.
Downsize your portion and save 100 or more calories:
71. At a fast food restaurant, choose a small shake instead of a medium shake.
72. Don’t eat the dollop of butter that is served in restaurants on pancakes or waffles.
73. Use a small bowl for your morning cereal instead of a larger bowl.
74. Order a tall non-fat latte at a coffee shop instead of a coffee with whole milk.
75. Split a smoothie or shake with a buddy.
76. Ask for a take home container to come with your meal – take half home.
77. Choose a smaller apple or orange rather than picking the large ones when shopping.
78. Choose your piece of cake from the middle! You’ll get much less icing on a center piece.
79. Eat only the filling from your next piece of pie. Leave behind the crust and save calories.
80. At Mexican Restaurants, take the taco filling of the third taco and fill it in the remaining two.
Discard the third shell to save calories.
81. Order a lunch size portion of entrees (even when out to dinner!), instead of the larger dinner portion.
82. Choose the short stack of pancakes instead of the full stack.
83. Leave the cheese off of sandwiches and hamburgers.
84. Go easy on the cheese on your pizza.
85. Choose the smallest size of popcorn at the theater.
86. Sharp cheeses provide more flavor. Therefore, use less.
87. Instead of two alcoholic beverages, drink one and follow with water.
Eat a little less to save 100 or more calories:
88. Leave 3-4 bites of food on your plate at each meal.
89. Eat only half of a bagel instead of a whole bagel.
90. Have one less can of soda a day and cut out 100 calories.
91. Split a meal with your spouse or friend next time you go out to eat.
92. Dilute fruit juice with ½ water and sip throughout the day.
93. Leave 10 french fries uneaten on your next order.
94. Eat ½ of a sandwich at lunch and save the other ½ for dinner with a salad.
95. Eat the “fun-sized” candy bars instead of the regular size ones.
96. Spoon a little less rice on your plate, when eating out at a Chinese/Thai restaurant.
97. Eat an open-faced sandwich to eliminate 1 slice of bread.
98. Eliminate the gravy on your mashed potatoes.
99. Leave the shell behind on your taco salad.
100. Ask for the salad dressing on the side rather than on your salad.
Source: America on the Move www. americaonthemove.org