10 ways to cut 500 calories a day
Weight loss - 500 calories; Overweight - 500 calories; Obesity - 500 calories; Diet - 500 calories
No matter what type of diet you follow, to lose weight you need to burn more calories than you take in each day. For most people with overweight, cutting about 500 calories a day is a good place to start. If you can eat 500 fewer calories every day, you should lose about a pound (454 g) a week.
Always talk with your health care provider to determine a healthy weight for you before starting a weight-loss diet.
Americans are no strangers to fast food. We gobble down burgers, deep-fried foods, and sugary drinks at an alarming pace. Especially on a busy workday. Can you eat healthy when you grab a fast food meal and head back to the office? You can if you plan ahead and make the right choices. Hi, I'm Page Love, registered dietician. Today, we're here to talk about fast food choices that you may be making in your office place during a busy workday and how to make healthier choices. This is America's favorite past-time, a meal from a burger joint. The most common choice is a loaded, double-patty burger with cheese and mayo, and a large fries, totaling 1500 calories and 70 grams of fat. Instead, I propose a few lower fat alternatives. You can still go to the burger joint, but consider ordering a single patty, flame broiled burger where the fat can drip away from the burger and not remain with the meat. Load up on with all kinds of veggie toppings; tomato, lettuce, onion, pickles. Consider ketchup and mustard instead of mayo to lower the fat. So, we've lowered the fat and calorie content to 350 calories and 15 grams of fat, a quarter of the fat and calories of this previous fast food meal. Here are some other helpful hints when you're trying to enjoy your fast food meal. Try taking it outside of your office setting, maybe outside at a park, at a park bench like we have out here today. Take your time to enjoy your meal. Allow at least thirty minutes to eat your meal. You may want to bring a newspaper along to read a little bit in between bites. Unfortunately, the average American can scarf down a 2000 calorie fast food meal while they are sitting at their desk and an hour later not even realize that they've eaten. So, take some steps to slow it down and eat in a relaxed fashion. As you're eating your sandwich, put it down in between bites. Try to sip a nutritious beverage in between bites. This will help you notice your fullness, slow down, and enjoy your meal. If you're with a co-worker, try to talk to them in between your bites, and this will additionally help you slow down and enjoy the relaxing environment. All these things will help you to eat a healthy, nutritious, low fat fast food meal, enjoyed in a relaxed fashion. Bon appétit!
How to Cut Calories
Try these 10 ways to cut 500 calories every day. It is easier than you may think.
- Swap your snack. Many people reach for a snack or two in between meals. Snacking is fine as long as you choose options that will fill up with fewer calories. The key is to have some healthy snacks ready when hunger hits. Instead of a 3-ounce (85 g) bag of flavored tortilla chips (425 calories), choose a cup (240 mL) of air-popped popcorn (31 calories), a cup (240 mL) of grapes and a low-fat cheese stick or a small apple and 12 almonds (80 calories). Choosing healthy snacks twice a day will easily save you 500 calories.
- Cut one high-calorie treat. Try to remove one high-calorie food item each day. Whether it is a donut in the morning, a brownie or bag of chips at lunch, or chocolate cake after dinner, you will save 250 to 350 calories or more. To burn another 150 calories, take a 40-minute brisk walk after lunch or dinner.
- Do not drink your calories. One 12-ounce (355 mL) regular soda has about 150 calories, and a 16-ounce (475 mL) flavored latte can pack 250 calories or more. Even fruit smoothies have lots of calories, as many as 400 in a 16-ounce (475 mL) serving. A couple of sweet drinks a day can easily add up to 500 calories or more. Choose water, plain or flavored, sparkling water, or black coffee or tea instead and save your calories for foods that will help you feel full.
- Skip seconds. Taking a second helping can add up to unwanted calories. It is easy to keep filling your plate when you serve food family style on the table. Instead, fill your plate once and keep extras in the kitchen. Or, if you still do not feel satisfied, add a second helping of vegetables, fruit, or salad.
- Make low calorie substitutions. Substitute lower-calorie options for some of your high-calorie favorites. For example, if a recipe calls for a cup (240 mL) of sour cream (455 calories), use a cup (240 mL) of plain low-fat yogurt or Greek yogurt instead (220 calories).
- Ask for a doggie bag. The portions at many restaurants are much larger than recommended serving sizes. Instead of cleaning your whole plate, ask the server to put half in a container for you to take home for another meal. You can also share an entrée with a friend, or make a meal out of an appetizer and a large salad. Just be sure to go easy on the dressing and fried toppings.
- Just say "no" to fried food. Frying food can add lots of unhealthy calories and saturated fat to any dish. Instead of fried chicken or fish, choose grilled, broiled, or poached instead. And skip the French fries. A large serving of fries alone can add almost 500 calories to a meal. Instead, see if you can substitute for the vegetable of the day or a side salad.
- Build a thinner pizza. Skip the meat toppings, extra cheese, and deep-dish crust, and have a couple slices of thin-crust vegetable pizza instead. You will save a little over 500 calories.
- Use a plate. Eat all food from a plate or bowl, including snacks. When you snack out of a bag or box, it is easy to eat more than you intend to. This is especially true if you are sitting in front of the TV. You may be surprised to learn that a large bag of chips could be more than 1000 calories. Instead, place one portion in a bowl, and put the rest away.
- Avoid alcohol. Cutting back on alcohol is an easy way for many people to trim calories. Alcohol does not have any nutritional value, so when you imbibe (drink) alcohol, you are getting empty calories, up to 500 for some mixed drinks made with syrupy sweeteners, fruit juices, and ice cream or heavy cream. If you do order a drink, choose a 12-ounce (355 mL) light beer (103 calories) or a 5-ounce (145 mL) glass of wine (120 calories).
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Tips for cutting calories.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. How to avoid portion size pitfalls to help manage your weight .
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Rethink your drink.
US Department of Agriculture; Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central.
Version Info
Last reviewed on: 5/14/2024
Reviewed by: Stefania Manetti, RDN, CDCES, RYT200, My Vita Sana LLC - Nourish and heal through food, San Jose, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
