Three easy ways to cut calories without dieting

Save around 100 calories a pop by having black coffee with a splash of milk. Photo / 123RF

In Britain, 64 per cent of adults are overweight or obese while in New Zealand in 2021, around 1 in 3 adults (aged 15 years and over) were classified as obese.

The latest government data shows that, on average, adults consume 200-300 calories more than the recommended amount per day (2500 for a man, 2000 for a woman).

So, if your waistband is feeling a little tight, here are three easy ways to cut calories without going on a diet…

1. Reduce your meal size by 20 per cent

We tend to overeat by sheer force of habit, loading up our plate because it's what we've always done, but most people can eat a little less without noticing any difference in satiety levels. It's thought that our stomachs have an "appetite thermostat" and can become accustomed to receiving a certain quantity of food. If we can slowly turn the thermostat down we will feel satisfied with less food.

At meal times, serve yourself 20 per cent less than you usually would, wait for 15-20 minutes and only have more if you are still hungry. It helps not to serve meals "family-style", where everything is placed in bowls on the table, as it's much easier to have seconds if the food is right in front of you. Keep any leftovers for lunch the next day.

2. Cut calorie intake

Try buttering just one side of your sandwich. Photo / 123RF

You can shave a considerable number of calories from your daily tally by making a few simple tweaks. For example:

• Coffee: Save around 100 calories a pop by having black coffee with a splash of milk, instead of milky coffees like lattes and flat whites.
• Butter: It doesn't have to go completely but scrape rather than slather as it's 35 cals/tsp. Try buttering just one side of your sandwich.
• Sauces: Ditch sauces such as mayonnaise and tomato ketchup which are surprisingly calorific: mayo packs a hefty 90 cals/tbsp. Greek yoghurt is an excellent substitute in sandwich fillings at only 8 cals/tbsp.
• Dressings: By making your own salad dressing you are in control of what goes into it. Oil, at 120 cals per tbsp, is the calorific ingredient so reduce it in favour of other flavourings such as vinegar, lemon juice, herbs and spices.
• Skip the skin: Removing the skin from chicken before eating will save you around 100 calories (per chicken breast).

3. Rebalance your plate

By changing the proportions of food types on your plate, in favour of lower calorie ones, you will significantly cut your calorie intake. For example:

• Pasta/ Pizza: Have a clenched-fist sized portion of pasta or 1-2 slices of pizza (a single slice can be up to 300 calories). Fill the rest of your plate with salad or vegetables.
• Sandwich: Have an open sandwich to cut the amount of bread, or swap for a wholegrain pita bread. Make sure the filling is mainly salad and vegetables and include some lean protein like egg, chicken or tuna to fill you up so you are less likely to snack later.
• Curry: Have a teacup-sized portion of curry, a similar quantity of rice and add a few tablespoons of raita, made with chopped-up cucumber, tomato, Greek yogurt and lemon juice. Avoid breads like naan and paratha and have a chapati instead, which will save around 200 calories.
• Roast dinner: Have fewer roast potatoes – opting for two medium roast spuds instead of three will shave 200 calories – and less meat. Take more veg instead and go easy on the gravy.