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12 simple tips to cut down on your calories

Anyone who's ever tried to lose weight knows it takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Fortunately, it's easier than you think. By cutting just 40 to 50 calories per meal you can enhance your weight loss efforts and achieve your targets much faster.

Nutritionists agree the best way to lose weight and keep it off is to modify your eating habits in such a way that you are taking in lesser calories and still don't feel deprived. Some people take this advice too seriously and go for fad dieting, which can be dangerous. Taking extreme measures is not the answer, but you may find that some calorie cutting initiatives need not be excruciating.

Cutting calories can be easy. It's a matter of making a few simple substitutions over the course of a day. In the following pages, we bring you a few ways to proactively cut calories, which in turn will help you to lose weight.

1. Have fresh fruit

Choose fresh fruit instead of fruit juices -- the latter contain a lot of sugar to sweeten them up. A medium orange has 60 calories, while a cup of orange juice contains 120 calories. Adding to that, a fresh fruit always has more fibre, is tastier and more satisfying than its juice.

2. Downsize on desserts

Cutting calories doesn't mean saying no to all deserts. You can certainly have them, but in very small proportions. Small steps like skipping the cream on your bun or avoiding the chocolate topping can go a long way!

3. Choose water over soft drinks

Replacing a sugary soft drink with water can save you hundreds of calories a day. If you cannot give up on soft drinks then try switching to diet soft drinks. Choosing coconut water over fruit juices can also help, as coconut water is low on calories and high on natural vitamins and minerals. Limit your alcohol, dairy and juices.

4. Increase protein intake

The high-protein, low-carb approach may help keep fat away. Proteins require a complex procedure to be converted to energy and plus they can make you feel full very soon.

5. Use less fat in cooking

Instead of bathing your food with oil, try using a tablespoon of oil on a lower heat setting. Opt for stir frying over deep frying. Spread less butter on your bread and avoid putting it in your food. Use healthy cooking oil like olive oil, flaxseed oil etc that provide less calories and more of Omega-3 fatty acid.

6. Load up on fibre

Fibre adds bulk, which is not only good for your digestive system, but also good for giving your stomach that sense of fullness so you eat less. So have more foods that provide you with fibre, like whole unrefined grains, carrots etc.

7. Reduce portion size

You don't have to eat three big meals a day. Instead you can reduce the portion size and have four-five small meals. This way your metabolism stays busy throughout. If you eat one and a half bowls of rice, cut it down to one bowl or even half, for that matter. You can also eat three meals and two snacks daily.

8. Go for smaller plates

Change your plate size to a smaller one. The bigger the plate, the more the tendency for you to load it up and consume all you take. So switch to a smaller one and cut off those fats. It is easier to resist the temptation to fill the plate if it is not large enough to accommodate a heaping mound of food.

9. Eliminate starchy foods

Starchy foods like potatoes do tend to have a lot of calories so its best to avoid them or have smaller portions of them. Instead, replace them with peas and other legumes like chickpeas (chana) and kidney beans (rajma) which are rich in vitamins and fibre.

10. Choose whole grains

Whenever possible, eat whole grain breads, whole wheat pasta, etc. instead of white. Whole grain gives you fewer calories and more nutrition. They are also rich in fibre and iron.

11. Eat at home

Restaurants and fast food places make it their business to get you to eat more food than you really need. We almost always get too many calories when we go out to eat. When you eat at home, you choose exactly what and how much you need.

12. When eating out, order smartly

When eating out in a restaurant, order an appetizer as your main dish. If you are still hungry, order a salad with it but without mayonnaise-based dressing (choose vinaigrette dressing). Also, instead of pouring large amounts of dressing on the salad, just dip your fork into the dressing before taking the salad. When ordering a pizza, choose a thin crust base with less fat-loaded toppings and more veggies.

Cutting calories doesn't have to be painful, just use these tips to do it in the best possible manner. By making these small changes to your diet, you should be able to lose weight and keep it off, without too much effort or hardship.