June 27th, 2009How to Create a Lower-Calorie Diet
The first steps to creating a low-calorie diet are simply to read the nutrition facts of the foods you are eating. For the first week, strive to write down the calorie content of any of the foods you typically ingest. Many products and foods list the calorie content directly on the packaging, although it is important to check for portion sizing because it is easy to eat much larger portions (and therefore many more calories) than intended. If your foods do not list the calories, such as items like bread and fruit, then try researching the calorie content online from a notable source like www.calorieking.com. Calorie counting websites or books can be helpful in the beginning of a low-calorie plan, because researching or looking up the caloric numbers of the foods you are eating will help you become aware of your own habits.
Hit the Right Number
After you understand the calories ingested in your daily diet, try checking to make sure you are not eating too many or too few calories for personal lifestyle or weight goals. The calorie calculator at www.freedieting.com lets you access the ideal number of calories per day that you need, based upon age, size, activity levels and weight loss or maintenance goals. After you have established how many calories you need per day, it is time to start putting a plan into action by tracking your daily tally of calories and tweaking your diet accordingly.
Get Creative With Calories
There are enough low-calorie foods on the market that a diet could almost be created entirely from these products. Try purchasing pre-portioned versions of your favorite goodies, microwavable meals and pizzas or calorie-controlled treats that can help you enjoy your favorite foods while still losing weight. On the other hand, it is important to add fresh produce, low-fat dairy and lean protein to any diet, so make sure to supplement all low-calorie products with natural foods. For example, try microwaving a low-calorie lasagna dish but prepare a small fresh salad on the side, or eat a fresh tangerine or mango with a cup of nonfat or lowfat cottage cheese.
