Learn How to Eat Less Calories by Swapping These Foods

When trying to lose weight by counting calories, exercising consistently is not enough. You have to make adjustments in your life and your food, and that often brings the question os how to eat less calories.

Don’t worry, though. We promise it’s easier than you think to consume fewer calories.

Let us teach you how to eat less calories by swapping these foods.

Water Over Everything

Okay, this might be one of the more challenging things for you to do, but it’s one of the best ways to cut out calories. Oftentimes when people are looking at cutting calories, they only focus on their food. Unfortunately, the reality is you’re drinking way more calories than you might realize.

Pay attention to your drinks during the day, and keep track of their calories. You’ll probably be shocked by how much you’re consuming. By switching to water, you can cut those calories, and it’s healthier for you.

Plus, drinking more water helps you burn calories and reduce any hunger cravings, doubling your efforts. Start by switching one drink daily to water, and gradually increase each day. Soon, you won’t even miss your other drinks!

Seltzer Over Pop

We know not everyone is willing to swap every single drink for water to save calories, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to reduce what you drink. One can of Coke contains 140 calories, whereas the same serving size of seltzer with lemon slices is zero calories.

You get all the fizz without any of the guilt. Swap out the lemon slice for lemon or even orange to give a variety of flavors.

Mustard Instead of Mayo

One serving of mayo contains around 94 calories, and a serving of mayo is only one tablespoon. I know when I use mayo, it’s definitely more than one serving.

Instead, swap the mayo, and reach for your mustard. Mustard has a powerful flavor, so a little bit goes a long way. One serving of mustard is three calories, and that’s one teaspoon. 

Anytime you need to use mayo for your sandwich, use mustard instead.

Greek Yogurt Over Sour Cream

Tacos, chili, and many other meals are made better with sour cream, but just two tablespoons contain sixty calories. You can cut the calories in half by swapping sour cream with Greek yogurt.

You’ll still get that creamy, light flavor without weighing down the meal. Plus, Greek yogurt has probiotics that will aid in your weight loss.

Nonstick Spray Instead of Oil

Butter and oil are sneaky calories because you don’t realize just how many are in such small servings. One tablespoon of olive oil has 120 calories. If you instead use a nonstick olive oil spray to coat your pan, you’ll only be consuming five calories.

If you do this each day, the calories really add up. 

Cinnamon Toast Over Cinnamon Rolls

There’s nothing better than warm cinnamon rolls on a cold Michigan morning. But just one cinnamon roll can have up to 880 calories. Instead, try cinnamon raisin bread, and top it with some cream cheese for a treat that only has 230 calories instead.

If you’re looking to cut even more calories, you don’t even need the cream cheese on top. The cinnamon toast will be sweet and tasty all on its own.

Zoodles Instead of Spaghetti

You can save 175 calories by switching just the noodles in your favorite spaghetti dish. A cup of zoodles is only 25 calories, whereas that same amount of spaghetti is 200 calories.

Zucchini noodles or other veggies give your meals more nutrients while also drastically cutting the calories. For many meals, the veggies even give more flavor than the noodles do.

Drop the Bread

Having a burger night? Swap your bun for lettuce instead! One leaf of lettuce has only four calories, whereas the typical bun has 130 calories.

If you’re not ready to give up bread, just remove the top bun and replace it with lettuce. That will cut half the calories, but you still get to enjoy every aspect of your burger.

Stock Your House With Fruits and Veggies

Snacking is a must in most households. So, instead of buying chips, crackers, or candy, stock your house with fruits and veggies. If you like to enjoy chips with dip, try carrots and celery with some hummus, so you still get a similar experience but with fewer calories.

Not only will you feel better because you’re feeding your body better nutrients, but you’ll also easily cut calories without realizing it. Our advice for this to work is to make sure you clean and prepare your veggies after you get home from the store so they’re easy to grab when you want a snack.

Avocado Mash Instead of Butter

When someone asks how to eat less calories, this is one of the easiest and tastiest options. Butter doesn’t do anything for your body except taste great. At 102 calories per serving, we’re going to need it to do more than that. 

Swap the butter for mashed avocado to save almost 80 calories and give your body a more nutritious fat that contains vitamins your body needs. You can do this for practically anything that calls to be topped with butter, whether it’s toast, or a burger.

Now You Know How to Eat Less Calories!

Now that you know how to eat less calories, it’s time to give these meals a try! Remember, you don’t have to give up everything you love just to cut calories. You can still enjoy your favorite meals with small adjustments that add up to real results.

Have you been eating healthier but aren’t seeing the results you want? It might be time to consider personal training.

Contact Peak Physique today to see how we can help you reach your fitness goals!