6 Ways To Cut Down Calorie Intake From Your Diet

During COVID-19 lockdown, many of us have put on weight due to multiple reasons. Maintaining a balanced diet and weight becomes a difficult job during this pandemic, and here people come with a common question: How many calories can we consume per day to lose weight?

Every time, just doing an extensive workout can’t be a solution for losing weight. One needs to eat a healthy and balanced diet too. So, before we go into some calculations and practices to lose weight, let’s understand some basics.

What Are The Calories?

Calories are the units of food and beverages. A calorie is a unit to measure energy. Everyone requires a certain amount of energy per day irrespective of their weight, age, gender, and level of activity. There is a simple rule about calorie – Calories in is equal to calories out. To maintain or lose weight, you must keep an eye on calorie intake and calorie burn.  

How Many Calories Should You Eat On Average?

The answer to this question will depend on your goal. Your goal ultimately decides the number of calories you should eat daily, whether you want to–  

• Lose weight
• Maintain weight
• Increase weight  

Every individual requires a different amount of calory intake per day, and it depends on various factors such as age, gender, lifestyle, genetics, etc.  

What Is The Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)?

Basal metabolic rate or BMR is a common term we hear when it comes to weight loss programs. BMR is the number of calories that your body burns while at rest. It varies from person to person and depends on various factors like age, weight, height, the metabolic rate of your body, etc. There are different formulae to measure your basal metabolic rate, whose results likely depends on various factors. So, whenever you want to measure it, the best way is to consult a guide or a dietician.  

In between meals, many people tend to crave for a snack. As long as you select alternatives that will fill you full with fewer calories, snacking is acceptable. When hunger strikes, the trick is to be prepared with some healthy options. Choose a cup (250 mg) of air-popped popcorn (31 calories), a cup (250 mg) of grapes, or a small apple and 12 almonds (160 calories) as an alternative to a 3-ounce (85 g) bag of flavoured tortilla chips (425 calories). You may easily reduce 500 calories by selecting nutritious snacks twice a day.

Dr. Siddharth Gupta, B.A.M.S, M.D (Ayu)

How To Cut Down Calorie Intake From The Diet Without Starving?

  Many times, people misunderstand dieting with starving to lose weight. However, it’s not the case. Dieting means balancing your healthy food intake rather than just fasting for long. Here are some tips to reduce calorie intake and lose weight –

1. Drink Plenty of Water    

One of the simplest ways to fill your tummy for a longer duration is to drink more water. 8 glasses of water per day can burn more than 96 calories. This is the simplest and effective option. However, if you are planning to reduce your weight then you should manage the timings of drinking water. Drinking water before meals helps to suppress your hunger and make you eat less. As per a 12-week study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), drinking 17 ounces (0.5 liters) of water half an hour before your meal can help to lose weight 44% faster than other people. It also boosts your metabolism.

2. High Protein Diet

Whenever you try to lose weight, try to eat  high protein food with low carbs. It is the most effective way to lose weight with minimal efforts. Protein can increase the metabolic rate, which ultimately requires a lot of energy & results in extra calorie-burn. A high-protein diet not only helps to reduce your weight but also to maintain it. It also suppresses your hunger and cravings.

3. Reduce Carbs Intake 

Cutting off carbs from your diet can be an effective solution to lose weight. It also reduces your appetite and makes you eat fewer calories. Some studies have shown that eating a low carb diet can make you lose weight about two to three times faster than a calorie-restricted, low-fat diet.

4. Cut Down on Junk Food  

It is one of the important parameters for losing weight. Junk food and bakery products are rich in carbs and are not good for your health. So always check labels before buying or eating any packed junk food.

Use a plate or bowl for all meals and snacks. Research says snacking from a bag or box makes it simple to consume more food than you intended to. This is especially true if you are watching television. Unexpectedly, a big bag of chips could have more than 1000 calories. Instead, I suggest taking out a small portion in bowl while keeping the remaining back.

Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS

5. Avoid Sugar and Sugary Products

It is a relatively easy method to replace sugar from your diet. This includes sugar drinks, juices, or any other products containing sugar. Many studies revealed that a high intake of sugar causes obesity. It also increased the risk of getting diseases like diabetes, dental problems, etc.

6. Regular Exercise  

To reduce weight, you need to do regular exercise with a proper diet plan. Follow both the things for speedy results. Doing regular exercise can strengthen your muscles and reduce fat accumulation in your body.

Read more about:  6 Simple Healthy Breakfast Ideas for Weight Loss!

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