What Are Some Easy Tricks to Help Me Cut Calories

There are many ways to cut calories and eat better. Your diet and exercise plan will help you flatten your stomach and get six pack abs, if that is your goal. Maybe you just want to lose a little weight and eat a little lighter. Stomach exercises will help flatten your stomach, but no amount of exercise alone will help anyone see your abs without losing a little weight and cutting back on the calories. Here are some helpful tips you can use to achieve your goals.

When eating out, Halve it, and bag the rest. A typical restaurant entree has 1,000 to 2,000 calories, not even counting the bread, appetizer, beverage and dessert. Skip the dessert, or get one and share.

Use a salad plate instead of a dinner plate. You will put less on the plate and give your body a chance to fill up, preventing you from making that second trip. It will also help fool your eyes into thinking you have a full plate.

Eat the low-cal items on your plate first, then graduate to the higher calorie ones. Start with salads, veggies, and broth soups, and eat meats and starches last. By the time you get to them, you'll be full enough to be content with smaller portions of the high-calorie choices.

Instead of whole milk, switch to 1 percent. If you drink one 8-oz glass a day, you'll lose 5 lbs in a year.

Skip or limit your juice intake. Juice has as many calories, ounce for ounce, as soda. Set a limit of one 8-oz glass of fruit juice a day. Get the calories from foods you chew, not beverages. Have fresh fruit instead of fruit juice.

Cut back on or cut out caloric drinks such as soda, sweet tea, lemonade, etc. Empty calories are your diet's worse enemy. People have lost weight by making just this one change. If you have a 20-oz bottle of Coca-Cola every day, switch to Diet Coke. You should lose 25 lbs in a year.

Keep a food journal. It really works wonders.

Use mustard and low calorie condiments instead of mayo.

Eat more soup. The non creamy ones are filling but low-cal.

Take your lunch to work. You will be amazed at how much money you save, and how healthier it can be.

Have mostly vegetables for lunch.

Eat out less. Eat at home.

Limit alcohol use to weekends.