Simple Ways to Reduce Calorie Consumption or Increase Calorie Expenditure
Natalie Stein
CDC Lifestyle Coach, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, and expert in nutrition, public health, and healthy lifestyle choices
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Here are examples of how you can change your calorie balance by reducing calories or increasing physical activity levels.
Foods from the Supermarket or prepared at home
About 150-200 calories saved
| Original choice | Change you can make |
|---|---|
|
1 cup of premium ice cream
2 tablespoons of syrup |
½ cup of premium ice cream
½ banana, sliced |
|
1 cup of ice cream
|
1 cup of pureed frozen banana with 1 tablespoon of mini chocolate chips
|
|
1 cup of cooked rice
|
½ cup of cooked brown rice and ½ cup of riced cauliflower or chopped vegetables
|
|
1 cup of French fries
|
½ cup of French fries and
1 cup of baked carrot sticks or green beans
|
|
½ cup of Alfredo sauce
|
½ cup of marinara sauce
|
|
1 cup of pasta
|
½ cup of whole-grain pasta and 1 cup of spiralized zucchini or carrots
|
|
Meatballs or meatloaf made with ground beef
|
Meatballs or meatloaf made with lean or extra lean ground turkey
|
|
1 can of clam chowder
|
1 can of chicken noodle or tomato soup plus 1 cup of cooked vegetables
|
|
1 cup of fruit-flavored low-fat yogurt
|
1 cup of plain nonfat yogurt 1 cup of strawberries
|
|
½ cup of granola
|
1 cup of plain Oat O’s cereal plus ½ sliced banana
|
Snacks
About 100 calories saved
| Original choice | Change you can make |
|---|---|
|
2 crunchy granola bars
|
2 rice cakes
|
|
Buttered popcorn
|
Air-popped or light popcorn
|
|
1 regular-sized candy bar
|
1 ounce of dark chocolate
|
|
1 regular-sized candy bar
|
1 fun-sized candy bar and 1 piece of fruit or string cheese stick
|
|
2 ounces of potato chips
|
10 mini rice cakes
|
|
2 ounces of potato chips
|
1 ounce of potato chips 1 cup of raw vegetables
|
|
¼ cup of ranch or onion dip
|
½ cup of salsa
|
|
½ cup of raisins
|
1 cup of grapes
|
|
Sausage stick and ¼ cup of cheese dip
|
1 ounce of turkey or soy jerky 1 low-fat string cheese stick
|
|
½ cup of trail mix
|
½ cup of puffed brown rice cereal
¼ cup of dried peas |
Beverages
About 100-200 calories saved
| Original choice | Change you can make |
|---|---|
|
Large vanilla latte
|
Medium vanilla latte
|
|
Vanilla latte with whole milk and whip
|
Vanilla latte with unsweetened almond milk and no whipped cream
|
|
20-ounce bottle of regular cola or other soft drink
|
12-ounce can of soda
|
|
20-ounce bottle of orange or apple juice
|
Water and a large orange or apple
|
|
Hot cocoa with whipped cream
|
Espresso or caffe Americano with cocoa powder
|
|
Iced latte
|
Iced macchiato
|
|
Sweet tea
|
Unsweetened iced tea with lemon
|
At Fast Food and quick order restaurants
About 150-200 calories saved
| Original choice | Change you can make |
|---|---|
|
Chicken or beef burrito
|
2 chicken or beef tacos with salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, and a side of beans
|
|
Salad with crispy chicken, dried cranberries, and crispy chips or strips
|
Salad with grilled chicken and almonds
|
|
1 packet or dipping cup of ranch or blue cheese dressing
|
1 packet of light ranch Italian dressing, or vinaigrette
|
|
10 chicken nuggets
|
6 chicken nuggets
|
|
Crispy chicken sandwich with mayo
|
Grilled chicken sandwich with mustard, ketchup, or BBQ sauce
|
|
Burrito
|
Burrito bowl or naked burrito
|
|
Sandwich with cold cuts, Italian meats, or tuna salad
|
Sandwich with grilled chicken, turkey breast, veggie burger patty, or cheese
|
|
Sweet and sour chicken
|
Teriyaki chicken, salmon or tofu with vegetables
|
|
Fried rice
|
Brown rice
|
|
2 slices of pepperoni pizza
|
2 slices of thin-crust pizza with vegetables
|
|
Large fries
|
Small fries
|
|
Milkshake or sundae
|
Small soft-serve cone
|
At sit-down restaurants
About 100-200 calories saved
| Original choice | Change you can make |
|---|---|
|
6-ounce filet mignon steak
|
4 ounces of skinless chicken
|
|
New York strip steak
|
Filet mignon or sirloin steak
|
|
Side of coleslaw or creamed spinach
|
Side of seasonal vegetables, broccoli, green beans, or side salad
|
|
6 breaded and fried shrimp
|
6 grilled shrimp or prawns
|
|
2 tablespoons of ranch, blue cheese, or Thousand Island dressing
|
2 tablespoons of light vinaigrette or low-fat Italian dressing
|
|
Fish sticks
|
Broiled or grilled fish or cedar plank salmon
|
|
Alfredo or meat sauce
|
Marinara sauce
|
|
Side of fries, onion rings, or rice
|
Side of mashed potatoes
|
|
Broiled fish
|
Fish sticks
|
|
Chicken parmesan or breaded chicken
|
Blackened or cajun chicken
|
At breakfast restaurants and cafes
About 200 calories saved
| Original choice | Change you can make |
|---|---|
|
Omelet or scrambled eggs with meat
|
Egg white omelet or scrambled egg whites with vegetables
|
|
Sausage
|
Ham
|
|
3 pancakes
|
2 pancakes
|
|
French toast or Belgian waffle
|
Crepe
|
|
Cinnamon roll
|
Cinnamon sugar donut
|
|
Bagel, biscuit, or croissant
|
English muffin or 2 slices of bread
|
|
Butter and syrup or jam for toppings
|
Whipped cream and fruit for toppings
|
Physical Activity
About 100 additional calories burned (varies with type of activity and body weight)
| Ways to burn an additional 100 calories |
|---|
| Add a warm-up and cool-down to your workout |
| Add 5-10 high-intensity intervals of 30-60 seconds into your regular workout |
| Walk for 10 minutes before breakfast, lunch, or dinner |
| Add 8 2-minute activity breaks in your day |
| Between sets of muscle-resistance training, add 30-60 second cardio bursts like jogging, cycling, or mountain climbers |
| Switch from exercises that target one muscle group to compound exercises that target two or more groups |
Start making small changes to your nutrition today to lose weight and feel your best. Remember, your Lark coach is here to help every step of the way!
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