The golden rule for successful weight loss is that you have to be in a caloric deficit, overtime. Or in other words, eating fewer calories than you’re burning.
Now arguably the best way to do this is simply by tracking your calories. But let’s be real, not everyone wants/has the time to do that.
Plus, some people can get too caught up in tracking every single little thing they put into their body, and can develop messed up relationships with food because of it.
Either way, if you’re someone who realistically isn’t gonna be pulling out their calculator in the middle of dinner, or at the grocery store, I have a few tips to help you eat less calories without having to worry about numbers!
Here’s what you can do in terms of eating, as well as some other tips and tricks!
When it comes to food…
ENERGY VS. NUTRIENT DENSE FOODS
This simply refers to foods that are packed with calories (energy), vs. foods that are packed with nutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber).
Foods that are energy dense, like ultra processed foods, fast food, junk food, desserts, are usually higher in calories, but are not very satiating, or filling. These are the foods that tend to easily lead to weight/fat gain.
Whereas foods that are nutrient dense, like whole plant foods, are typically lower in calories, yet are much more filling, and satiating. AND tend to lead to easier weight/fat loss, or managment.
Nutrient dense plant foods also contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, complex carbohydrates, and even water. All of these play a role in helping plant foods fill you the hell up while also limiting calories.
Ultra processed junk food is jacked full of added fats & calories. As well as sodium and/or refined sugar, and virtually nothing that provides satiety. That’s why a lot of people can sit there and eat an entire bag of chips and not even feel full, yet having just consumed 1-2 thousand calories.
The combination of fat, sugar, and sodium also creates a hyper-palatable (really tasty) treat that the brain just can’t get enough of.. Leading to cravings, and eating more calories.
Another tip in terms of food is to limit high fat foods. Fat contains the most amount of calories per gram. Therefore, the higher the fat content is in a particular food, the more calories it will have.
High fat foods include: Red meat, dairy, dietary oil, avocados, nuts – avocados and nuts are healthy foods, but they are still higher in fat content – and processed foods
So to sum it up in terms of food, adding in more whole plant foods to your menu, as well as keeping an eye on higher fat foods, are amazing ways to naturally eat fewer calories without having to worry about tracking.
Some examples of lower calorie, nutrient dense, and filling foods:
- Potatoes – WITHOUT all the butter and added fat, heh. Just plain ol’ potaters
- Beans – black, pinto, kidney, navy, you name it
- Leafy greens – spinach, kale, arugula, etc
- Lentils
- Broccoli
- Brussel sprouts
- Quinoa
- Oats
- Berries
- Bananas
- Brown rice
- Whole wheat pasta
Random Tips & Tricks
Drinking water before or with a meal can help to make you feel more full, which can help to reduce the amount of total food you eat.
Watch out for added oils.
Oil is literally just concentrated fat & calories. Keeping oils low, and minimizing cooking with them when possible can help reduce the amount of calories in your meals.
This is also important to consider when eating out, as most restaurants use oil naturally in their dishes. This, however, can be omitted upon request, in most places.
Sugary beverages such as pop, $40 dollar lattes at Starbucks, sugar-loaded energy drinks, etc, contain empty calories – added calories with no benefits. Try to limit or avoid these to avoid extra calories. Oh, this includes alcohol, as well.
Simply eat smaller portions… psh duh
Whatever amount of food you’re used to eating, start cutting back by a little. It doesn’t have to be a lot all at once. Just little by little, day by day, week by week.
TIME RESTRICTED EATING
This might also be referred to as a form of intermittent fasting. It’s simply where you only eat your daily intake of food within a certain time frame of the day. There can be different versions, based on preference/experience, but it typically looks like a 6-8 hour eating window, and then a 16-18 hour fasting window.
Someone might begin their eating window at 9am, and end it at (eating their last meal no later than) 5pm, for example.
This can be a great tool for naturally eating fewer calories because people usually have schedules, and busy lives. So only being able to eat your daily intake of food within a certain time frame can actually make it a little harder to overeat calories.
SALADS aren’t just a great way to get in leafy greens and veggies, but they can also help to fill you up on very few calories. That is, of course, if you’re not dousing it with some calorie-loaded dressing, hehe. Try adding a salad before or with a meal.
SUMMARY
Tracking calories can be annoying, inconvenient, and sometimes even addicting. So if you’re someone who feels overwhelmed by it, have no fear! You don’t have to do that shit.
Eating more whole plant foods, drinking plenty of water, watching out for sneaky calories – like in sugary beverages, added oils, or processed foods – keeping higher fat foods limited, as well as too much food, and setting up some kind of fasting, or time restricted eating, schedule are all ways to naturally eat less calories without tracking.
Thanks for reading!