Anyone who has tried to diet in the attempt to lose weight or has counted calories until they couldn’t stand the sight of numbers anymore, knows that being able to eat comfortably without worry is easier said than done. If you’ve been there and done that, try something different to cut out the calories in your life without counting and without sacrificing too much of what you know and love.

Instead of putting unnecessary pressure on yourself by counting calories, learn how to make little changes in your daily routine to effortlessly lower the amount of calories you consume. For example, change your snacking habits. How often have you opened a bag of chip or cookies, only to feel terrible when you’ve realized you’ve snacked your way through half of the bag (if not the whole thing)? Avoid this eating error by sticking to smaller portions. More specifically, the vending machine. If you’re at school or work and you just have the urge to snack, take a walk and contribute a couple of coins to the vending machine and get a food item that is a single serving size. This means less calories and less stress about what you’ve just consumed.

Beefing up on your protein also keeps your calorie intake low while keeping your muscles in shape. Start adding more of the following foods into your meal plans: eggs, dairy, fish, poultry, and beef. These foods are rich in leucine, which is an amino acid that aids in burning fat, while preserving muscle and muscle tissue. Salad lovers out there will appreciate this calorie-cutting tip: the next time you order salad and put the dressing on the side, instead of dipping your forkful of salad into the dressing, dip the fork by itself into the dressing first and then stick your salad onto it. This seemingly small action can actually cut as much as 500 calories!

The next time you go out to eat, skip ordering a huge main entrée and opt for two helpings of your favorite appetizer. Because of the size, this form of portion control will allow you to enjoy your meal and get full without the temptation to overeat. How many times have you pushed yourself to eat a huge entrée after you’ve already had an appetizer and a salad? Are you a coffee fanatic? For the sake of cutting calories, you may want to take a closer look at your next cup of coffee. Many fancy blends and specialty coffees contain as many calories as a regular meal serving! That’s a lot of calories. Skip out of the whipped cream and heavy syrups and switch to plain coffee with skin milk.

The next time you need to chat on your cell phone, put your legs to work while your mouth does the talking. It’s so easy to sit on the couch at home or at the desk on the job while talking up a storm but you aren’t burning any calories that way. Get up and take a walk to complement your conversation. You’ll be able to do right by your body without missing out on the latest gossip or happenings with family and friends.

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