Healthy Ways to Cut Calories. I am looking for some healthy ways to cut calories for my daughter and myself. My husband however, has no way weight problems, due to a very active job. So he probably needs the calories. Anyone else been in this situation? Any advice, meal plans, tips, etc. would be appreciated.
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I can really relate to this. My husband has a high metabolism and loves to ride his bike. I, on the other hand, am not so blessed, have a sedentary job and love to cook. What I've found works the best for me is a combination of things:
1. Smaller portions
2. Low cal snacks, such as fruit and veggies, especially before a meal. This helps curb my apetite.
3. Forcing myself to get some exercise such as walking.
4. Limit eating in restaurants.
I would probably be more successful if I was willing to cook separate meals, but that just isn't going to happen.
Hope this helps!
Hi! I am under doctor's orders to lose a lot of weight, and I've been doing pretty well. Here are some things that have worked for me.
1. Don't believe the high-protein hype. Out-of-balance, heavy, fatty eating won't work in the long run and has been shown to cause plenty of other health problems.
2. Eat mostly vegetables, beans, and grains. Vegetables are low in calories and not near as energy dense as meats, fats, and breads. It doesn't have to be salad every day. Lovely steamed veggies with a little grated Parmesan is still way lower in calories than a squash casserole loaded with cheese and butter. Get a rice cooker and stock up on beautiful brown rices (you must try Himalayan red rice), satisfying wheat berries, nutritious whole oats, and versatile barley. If you have a nice big rice cooker, it will also steam your veggies, steep your stock, poach your fish, cook apples down to a lovely sauce, and watch your bean soup for you.
3. You don't need to cook with as much fat as you think. Get in the habit of using Pam or another pan spray when you pan fry or broil something. If you really want butter flavor, you can melt a dab on after you finish cooking; you get much more flavor that way. Use yogurt instead of sour cream.
4. Ask the server for help when you go out to eat. Americans rarely realize this, but when you go to a restaurant, you are paying for service. You are not a guest, you are a patron. It's your right to speak up and ask for menu advice, substitutions, or suggestions. Servers know what the kitchen can do and can offer alternatives that aren't on the menu. Don't be afraid to send back meals that aren't prepared the way you asked for. If your restaurant won't accommodate you, simply start eating somewhere that does care about their customers.
5. Use spices and herbs with a free hand. Good nutritious food is flavorful food. Try dipping your artichokes in lime juice with chili powder, instead of lemon butter. Sparkle your green beans with chopped red pepper and mushroom slices instead of that heavy mushroom soup sauce. Slice your garlic instead of crushing it. Use the whole onion when the recipe calls for a half. Try curry powder on peas and carrots instead of butter.
6. Trust yourself to know what you need to eat. Put your two fists together. This is about how big your stomach is. Eat this much, then stop and think whether you really are still hungry. Eat at set times, but remember that several small meals are better than a couple big ones. Don't eat fatty garbage like chicken skin, fatback, and steak trimmings.
7. Don't be a fanatic. So what, you had a piece of chocolate. It's not the end of the world. Walk a little faster, eat a little less dressing on your salad. Don't designate some foods "sinful" and others "saintly." Think of fattening foods as "less of" and healthier foods as "more of."
Your husband will also appreciate eating healthier, since he is so active. Better fuel makes a better metabolic fire. If he really needs the calories, he can just eat until he's good and full, and snack on good healthy food in between. No athlete gorges himself on garbage.
Oh, I almost forgot the most helpful thing of all....
Stop drinking juice, sodas (even diet sodas), alcohol (pure sugar), and coffee. When you need a drink, your body is asking for water. Drink the water, not the calories and chemicals.
I learned this in a diet class. Eat slowly for 10 mins., stop eating for 5 mins. (put some dishes away, clear out the sink...) and then finish eating. Your appetite will definitely diminish.
Always read the nutritional labels before you buy. And take note of what is called "a serving" Many products have a very unrealistic idea of what "a serving" is. And pay close attention to the saturated fat content. Buy canned fruits packed in juice instead of syrup. Buy unsweetened applesauce.
Hi, Delores! I can identify with you trying to cut calories and eat healthy. My advice would be to always try to eat a balanced diet with protein first, before anything else. The reason for that is that protein sustains you for a longer period of time so you don't get hungry so quickly after eating your last meal. For example....eggs or egg substitute is a better choice nutritionally for breakfast than cereal, which is primarily a carbohydrate, which may give you quick energy, but then you bottom out and are hungry again....in the long run, you end up taking in more calories because simple carbohydrates just don't keep you satisfied. Look for good sources of protein...the new Weight Control oatmeal is really tasty and has whey protein added, in addition to being very low in sugar. If you want carbohydrates, try to look for complex carbs - for example, vegetables.....broccoli, cauliflower - they are filling but don't raise your blood sugar quickly and then bottom out on you. Hope these tips help!
Having lost a lot of weight this year, here are a few suggestions. Drink a large glass of water before sitting down to a meal. Eat a salad first, with dressing served on the side. Take a forkful of salad and lightly dip it in the dressing, rather than pouring fat-filled dressing onto your otherwise healthy salad. When at parties, drink non-alcoholic beverages. Before eating something ask yourself if it is worth the calories. When I am at a party or a guest, if I take a bite of something and don't care for it, I don't finish it-I tell myself its not worth the calories. Allow yourself a little treat of something you love now and then-feeling deprived leads to binges. Good luck to you-its hard!
Whenever I have the urge to "cheat" a quick trip to brush my teeth is a great distraction! I gives you mouth and mind something to do and who wants to mess up their mouth right after brushing? AND food doesn't taste right with the taste of toothpaste still lingering either. Your dentist will be impressed, too, at your next visit!
My advice.... cut out the sugar if you want to see the pounds drop off. Sugar is very bad for you anyway so it will do a body good.
Your plate should be divided into three sections: half is vegetables (not all corn or all peas since they are considered starches); quarter is your starch (potatoes, rice, couscous, etc. or peas and corn, I guess); and, the remaining quarter is your protein.
Good luck. I've struggled with my weight for years.
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