Cut Calories to Lose More Weight

Simple Ways to Cut 500 Calories

These 24 calorie-blasting strategies will help you lose weight and burn more fat all day long
By Holly C. Corbett fitbie
 

At Dinner

Downsize your plates. Rather than depriving yourself of food to drop pounds, simply use smaller plates. “People eat as much as is on their dish rather than the amount that their body actually needs,” says Jacob Teitelbaum, MD, author of Beat Sugar Addiction Now! “If you shrink the size of your dishes by a quarter, such as going from a 12-inch plate to a 9-inch plate, you’ll cut 500 calories without feeling deprived.” The research backs it up: People serving themselves ice cream in larger bowls ate 31 percent more than their counterparts eating from smaller bowls—and both groups reported feeling full, according to the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.

Wait to have seconds. Once you’ve downsized to smaller plates, Dr. Teitelbaum recommends giving yourself permission to eat as much as you want, but waiting 20 to 30 minutes to have a second helping. “You almost never go back because you’ve given your body time to register that you’re feeling full, so you easily save hundreds of calories.” Even if you do opt for seconds, you’re likely to get a smaller helping because hunger hormones won’t be driving your appetite.

Slim your sides. Instead of dipping chips in fat-packed sour cream, try serving baked tortilla chips or whole wheat pita wedges with low-fat refried beans and chunky salsa. It’s a tasty way to sneak in an extra serving of veggies and cut 109 calories. Or trade a side of traditional potato salad for sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions tossed with fat-free Italian dressing to cut 258 calories.

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