A major component to losing weight is to eat less food or in other words decrease your calorie intake.  I know easier said than done, but small changes really can make a big difference. Gradual weight loss, between 1-2 pounds per week, is what is recommended to improve your chances of sustained weight loss.  Fad diets encourage you to lose weight quickly and by drastic changes that are not sustainable.  Sustainable weight loss begins with making small practical and realistic changes to the way you eat and your physical activity level.  These small steps can lead to big changes that improve your health and quality of life. 

Below are my personal favorite ways of cutting calories:

• I know I’ll make the members of the “Clean Plate Club” cringe but don’t clean your plate.  Stop eating once you feel full.  If you are concerned about being wasteful save the leftovers for a snack or your next meal. 
• Share your meal.  I must admit it does annoy my husband when I suggest we do this at a restaurant.  Although, in the end we both leave the restaurant feeling satisfied and not uncomfortably full.  Plus, we saved some money.
• Stock your work desk with nutritious snacks so that you can resist the urge to hit the candy machines.  Some of my favorite “in my desk snacks” include: dried cranberries, mini bags of microwave popcorn, and granola snack bites.
• Limit yourself to 12-20 ounces of “fun fluids” per day.  Fun fluids would include any type of drink that contains calories but very little nutrients such as regular pop, specialty coffee drinks, fruit drinks, and alcoholic beverages.  If you can’t live without your caffeine and 12 ounces won’t do the trick switch to diet pop, or a “skinny” coffee drink.
• Drink water.  Often times we mistake hunger for thirst.
• Chew gum.  Often we eat because we are bored and not really hungry.  Try chewing sugar free gum instead.
• Eat slower.  This is a tough one for me and I have to really think about it but it works.  If I take my time and enjoy my food, I am able to notice my body’s cues and stop before I am overly full. 
• Popsicles aren’t just for kids.  It’s summer and it is hot here in Nebraska.  Sugar free popsicles are a low calorie way to refresh and hydrate. 
• This isn’t a way to cut calories but one of my favorite ways to burn calories.  Always have a pair of walking shoes in your office.  When you start to get tired, get up and walk around the building a few times.  It is a great way to clear your mind and will make you a more effective employee. Go ahead and have your boss give me a call about this one.

How do you cheat calories?  Share by posting a comment below.

This refreshing summer drink recipe won’t break your calorie bank.  There are only 70 calories per serving.

Berry Lemonade Slush
4 servings

1/3 cup lemonade flavor drink mix (dry)
1/2 cup water
3 cups ice cubes
1 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen, thawed    

1.  In a cup, mix together lemonade flavor drink mix and water.
2.  Place ice cubes and strawberries in a blender.  Pour drink mix into blender and process on high for 10 seconds.
3.  Stop blender and stir with a spoon.  Blend an additional 5 seconds or until smooth.  Serve right away.

Nutrition Information per Serving:  Calories 70, Total Fat 0 g., Saturated Fat 0 g., Cholesterol 0 mg., Sodium 10 mg., Total Carbohydrate 19 g., Dietary Fiber 1 g., Sugars 15 g., Protein 0 g., Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 50%, Calcium 0%, Iron 2%.