20 Easy Ways to Cut 100 Calories
Cutting 100 calories (approx 400 kilojoules) from your daily diet could see you losing almost five kilos (approx 11 pounds) a year – painlessly. Here’s how to use it and lose it.
1. Burn It
Strap a pedometer on and hop to it. About 2500 steps of brisk walking will burn 100 calories.
2. Clock Watching
Every hour on the hour, get up and move around for five minutes. Do some squats, push-ups ad even some sit-ups, or just walk around before having a stretch.
3. Season’s Eatings
Try eating fruit in season – and if you can get organic fruit from the farmers’ market, even better. A lush, ripe raspberry kicks the butt out of a Tim Tam any day.
4. Why Wait?
Every time you have to wait (on hold, in a line), move it. Do calf raises, or squeeze your abdominal muscles or glutes.
5. Try being a Stripper
Skin a serve of chicken after cooking – it’ll stay moist and you can strip off 150 calories.
6. Don’t Clear your Plate
Make an effort to leave three of four bites on your plate. And if you’ve got kids, make sure their leftovers go straight into the bin, never into your mouth.
7. Sweet Enough
Three teaspoons of added sugar contains around 48 calories – couldn’t you do without them?
8. Do the Car Wash
Washing your can by hand with a bucket and a sponge will help save water and burn calories. Washing vigorously for 30 minutes will burn 100 calories and shine up your car.
9. Upwardly Mobile
When you go for your daily walk, choose a route that includes some hills; you’ll burn calories even faster.
10. Dietary Diary
Putting your food intake in writing will make you think twice about that extra snack.
11. Crunch Bunch
Top your salad with diced celery rather than dried croutons.
12. Stair Crazy
If it’s there, climb it. Stairs are your best friend for calorie burning and help tone your legs and butt.
13. Friday on my Mind
Make one day a week your treat time. You’ll enjoy that chocolate or wine spritzer (half wine / half sparkling water – half the calories) so much more when you’ve looked forward to it for a week.
14. Shrink-size Me
When you have a chocolate treat, make it a fun-size bar rather than a regular, or, heaven forbid, king size. You’ll get the sweet burst you’re craving without the excess calories.
15. Go Green
Adding a pile of green veggies to your plate will fill you up with fewer calories than carbs or protein.
16. Love your Lunch
Bring lunch from home rather than eating out or getting take-away is an easy way to keep a close eye on your calories.
17. Choose your Poison
Never waste a calorie on substandard food. Before you go to a party, fill up with a bowl of soup, and only eat the foods that really appeal to you. Don’t let anyone guilt you into eating a mouthful – there’s no need to say “I love you” by scoffing a large chunk of cake!
18. Getting Fidgety
We’re all told to stop fidgeting when we’re kids, but now you have permission to take it up again. Don’t keep still! Wriggle your toes, tap your feet, shake your whole body about – the more you move it, the faster you’ll lose it.
19. The Lighter Side
Use low-fat yoghurt instead of sour cream, sauté onions and garlic in a splash of white wine and not oil, choose tuna in spring water rather than oil.
20. Clean Scene
Cleaning your house can help you burn calories, and if you maintain good posture you’ll get double benefits. Use a bit of elbow grease and get your house clean the old fashioned way – 20 minutes of work will burn 100 calories.
Tell us your tips!
Courtesy of Sydney’s Sunday Telegraph Body & Soul magazine.