20 Ways to Cut Calories From the Foods You Already Eat

By Kelly Turner on January 14th, 2010

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I always crack up a bit when I read the weight loss success stories in popular women’s fitness magazines.  You know the editors always change their answers to be more “magazine-y” (like when Cosmo interviews men about their favorite things in bed, and they say things like “It really drives me wild when my girl talks dirty.  It shows me she can let loose and be a little naughty.”  Men don’t talk like that.  What they really said was “I like sex.  Sex is good.”)  Anyway, the success stories always have that one line about cutting calories that usually goes something like, “I changed my eating habits and cut calories by making simple substitutions, like having a salad instead of pizza for lunch.”

Um, I don’t know a person alive that would find swapping pizza for salad a satisfying substitution, let alone an easy one.

Real easy swaps or eliminations to cut calories from the things you already eat can save you hundreds of calories a day, and you will barely notice the difference. Here are 20 easy ways to shave calories from your day without cramming salad down your throat and telling yourself it tastes like pepperoni pie.

1. Put fat free milk in your morning coffee instead of whole or half and half.  Better yet, skip it all together.  Save 50-100 calories.
2. Use sugar free syrups in your morning coffees instead of regular to cut 20 calories per shot.
3. Drink diet soda instead of regular.
4. Eat an English muffin instead of a bagel.  1 bagel can contain over 500 calories, while English muffins contain 100-150.
5. Use Greek yogurt instead of mayo in your tuna and chicken salads and dips to cut about 100 calories.  On sandwiches, skip the mayo all together.
6. If you must have butter on toast or bread, use whipped to cut 50 calories.
7. Want orange juice?  Eat an orange.  You’ll save 50 calories per serving and get extra fiber to keep you fuller, longer.
8. Use non-stick spray while cooking instead of butter to save 100-200 calories (depending on if you cook like Paula Deen, or not.)  If spray isn’t enough, use olive oil.  It contains about the same calories, but has heart healthy fat.
9. Don’t put cheese on everything.  I like the rule “if I can’t taste it, it’s not worth it” which usually means no cheese on sandwiches, eggs, burgers, tacos, or baked potatoes.  If you want cheese, make it count.  Eat it by itself, on a cracker or with some sliced apple.  Adding it out of habit will add anywhere from 100-500 calories to your day.
10. Salsa and hot sauce are your friends.  Skip the ketchup, and the sugar and calories that come with it, and kick your food up a notch with the lower and no calorie condiments to save 25-50 calories.
11. Granola is good for you, but the portions are small and loaded with calories.  If you want a little crunch in your yogurt or oatmeal, add high fiber cereal like Fiber One or Kashi Go Lean.  It’s just as satisfying and sweet, and will save you around 150 calories and tons of fat.
12. Want pizza? Eat a salad.  Kidding.  Order thin crust and light cheese to save over 150 calories per slice.  Load up on veggies, too.  Just because they are good for you.
13. Open face is your friend.  Cut out the top slice of bread from your sammies and save 80-120 calories, plus you’ll use less fillings because you won’t have to counter act all that bread.  I’m not an advocate for low carb, but carb overload is also a no-no.
14. If you are eating something with a bun, like a burger, skip those last few bites that are nothing but bread and condiments- it’s not even that good anyway.  If there isn’t a bite of everything in it, it’s not worth eating.
15. Use low-cal or light versions of your favorite salad dressings.  You won’t know the difference and can smother your salad, guilt free.
16. Buy plain popcorn instead of butter flavored, and add your own flavor.  There are calorie free butter flavored powder, or for something different try taco seasoning, cinnamon and Splenda or sprinkle parmesan cheese.  Save over 50 calories.
17. Use water packed tuna instead of oil packed.  It smells better, too.
18. Eat fat free yogurt instead of full fat to save over 100 calories.  Switching to fat free from low fat will save you are 50 calories.
19. Use low, or no calorie mix ins with your alcohol, like diet soda, club soda or no calorie juices.  Even fruit juices, like OJ and pineapple juice can add hundreds of calories to your cocktails.
20. Use corn tortillas instead of flour- Save around 55 calories per tortilla, or eat 2 corn for the same calories of one flour tortilla.

While you should be making sure you get your necessary nutrients you need in a day, cutting calories from the foods you already eat will help you lose weight, but keep you from feeling deprived.  If you are on a weight loss path, you are going to have to make changes- to your activity level and your nutrition- but if you can make those changes as easy on yourself as possible, the likelihood they will stick is far greater.  Shaving calories from what you already eat is the perfect way to start.