One of the topics I have written about heavily over the past couple of months has been creating a caloric deficit. I cannot stress enough how important this is for weight loss and fat loss.
The two ways to create a caloric deficit are 1) eat less food or 2) exercise. In my experience, most people find it easier to lower calories from food before they jump into an exercise program.
Since this is the case, I wanted to highlight 5 food items you can change that will help lower your calorie intake.
Let’s get started!
1. Switch cooking oil to olive oil spray
Most people cook with some type of oil when using a skillet. One of the most commonly used oils is vegetable oil. This is actually one of the worst oils to cook with.
It contains huge amounts of Omega 6 fats, which can be harmful in large amounts. One of the ways these fats negatively affect humans is through inflammation.
Inflammation is the process used to rid our bodies of damaged cells and repair broken tissue. This is a natural, acute response by the body. The problems arise when inflammation becomes chronic.
Chronic inflammation can be a risk factor for developing several diseases like cancer and cardiovascular disease. This is the risk we take when consuming large amounts of chemically made fat. That’s why its a good idea to ditch vegetable oil altogether.
One tablespoon of oil averages around 120 calories. Imagine if you cooked 3 meals a day with 1 tbs of oil in each meal. This amounts to 360 extra calories a day and 2,520 extra calories a week.
The solution? Switch to olive oil cooking spray. You can easily cook all your food with it and it contains zero calories.
2. Switch dressings and dips to salsa
Dressings and dips make food more palatable. The problem, obviously, is they contain a lot of calories. Salads are great, but not when doused in 1/2 cup of thousand island dressing.
Using that as an example, 2 tablespoons of thousand island dressing has 111 calories.
One of the most popular dips is ranch. Two tablespoons of ranch contain 146 calories.
Though we may try to eat better with more veggies and salads, slathering them in dressings like these will not help you. The alternative? Salsa.
Depending on which brand you get, 2 tablespoons normally averages 10 calories. Even store bought salsa contains good ingredients and tastes excellent.
3. Switch beef/pork to chicken/turkey
Protein is very important for maintaining muscle mass as you lose weight. The last thing you want is to lose precious muscle as you drop weight. This makes keeping the weight off much harder.
Adding more protein can curb this issue and keep you fuller for longer. Beef and pork are some of the most delicious options you can choose from. Steak, ribs, pork tenderloin, what’s not to love?
The issue is these meats have more fat. An average 4 oz. serving of lean beef (90/10) has 200 calories. A 4 oz. boneless pork tenderloin averages 200 calories as well.
The switch? Chicken or turkey.
Chicken and turkey tend to be leaner in general. You can also buy leaner cuts of these types of meats (93/7, 98/2) at a lower price point.
Lean chicken and turkey usually average around 120 calories per 4 oz serving. Though 80 calories may not seem like much it can add up in the long run.
4. Switch peanut butter to powdered peanut butter
I think most would agree that peanut butter tastes delicious. I mean, I could take down a whole container myself pretty easily. But that’s the problem.
Most people load up on peanut butter when having it as a snack or on a sandwich. The average 2 tablespoon serving of peanut butter equates to roughly 200 calories.
That’s a lot of calories for something that doesn’t fill you up. The change? Powdered peanut butter.
Powdered peanut butter does not contain a lot of the oil and fats found in regular peanut butter. You simply mix it with water and it’s good to go.
This is a calorie no brainer when compared to actual peanut butter. It has 45 calories per 2 tablespoon serving. An easy way to still get that peanut butter taste without sacrificing your results.
5. Switch nuts to popcorn
I know what you might be thinking: “Popcorn is healthy?!” But just hear me out.
Nuts are a great source of nutrition. They contain a lot of healthy fats, can lower cholesterol, and improve heart health. But this post is all about saving calories, so that’s what we will focus on.
Nuts should be apart of everyone’s diet, but they are extremely easy to overeat. A 1/4 cup of almonds boasts around 200 calories. A 1/4 cup of cashews contains 160 calories.
When most people eat nuts, they normally grab a several handfuls. Turning a once healthy snack in a 500 calorie nightmare. The solution? Popcorn.
I’m not talking about movie popcorn. I’m talking about regular air-popped popcorn. Three cups contains just 110 calories. And you can always add a little sea salt for flavoring.
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The most important step when attempting weight loss is decreasing your calories. The foods above are commonly eaten but are contributing more total calories than people probably realize. Switching them can have a dramatic effect and save 100s of calories in the process. Doing so could pull you out of a progress plateau and speed up your results.
Photo Credit:
1. http://www.caloriecount.com/calories-private-selection-organic-cooking-spray-i229128
2. http://www.painlesscooking.com/authentic-mexican-salsa-recipes.html
3. http://www.gnc.com/PB2-Powdered-Peanut-Butter/product.jsp?productId=15329556
