3 Quick and Easy Tips to Eliminate 500 Calories a Day
To lose 1 kg of fat, you need to burn 7,000 calories. If you reduce your caloric intake by 500 calories a day, you will lose ½ kg per week. Losing weight slowly can help you learn healthy eating habits and avoid the dreaded yo-yo effect. Here are three easy tips on how to cut 500 calories a day.
1. Put your silverware down between each bite
People who eat slowly and chew well feel fuller faster and thus consume fewer calories. It takes about 20 minutes for the feeling of satiety to reach your brain. A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association has shown that putting your silverware down between each bite can help you save 300 calories per meal. If you do this at breakfast, lunch and dinner, then you can cut 500 calories a day.
2. Switch to water
Our body contains about 50% water. This is why it is so important to stay hydrated. At the same time, we often forget about the liquid calories we consume. You can cut out hundreds of calories by simply watching what you drink. Fruit juices, smoothies, soft drinks, milk products and alcoholic beverages are especially high in calories. Plus, alcoholic drinks like beer and wine interfere with fat burning since the body is busy breaking down the alcohol. Therefore, stick with non-alcoholic beverages like water or unsweetened tea.
This principle also applies to coffee: make sure to drink it black. Drinking coffee with cream or milk can add an extra 200 calories — and vanilla or caramel syrup are even worse!
3. Eat at the table – not in front of the TV
Do you ever wonder why you are gaining weight although you are on a diet? When you eat in front of the TV, you consume on average 290 calories more than usual. Enjoy dinner instead at the table with your family and focus on what you are eating. And if you go for an hour’s walk afterward to help you digest, you can burn an additional 500 calories.
So you can see that you can cut out up to 500 calories a day by making a few simple changes to your daily routine. Give it a try!
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