Practical tips on reducing calorie intake

Author: Margarita Kuts - doctor-dietitian, gastroenterologist, and body mesotherapist.
2013-12-17

Many people are frightened by the fact that in order to lose weight, one must count calories. Indeed, it's necessary to understand how much we are actually eating. I want to simplify this task for you and explain how to reduce the caloric content of your meals without resorting to complex calculations. Here’s the main rule:

Make your diet as low in fat as possible.

Here are some ways to achieve this:

1. To eat less fat, you need to eat more non-fat foods!

The fat content of your diet will significantly decrease if you consume more foods that contain minimal amounts of fat: grains (especially buckwheat and pearl barley), low-fat dairy products, whole grain bread, fruits, and vegetables.

2. Use lower-fat products from similar categories.

For example, choose cottage cheese with a fat content of 0-2% instead of 18%. You can buy sour cream with 20% fat, or switch to a less fatty version with 15% fat. This way, you won’t consume an extra 5 grams of fat for every 100 grams of sour cream. Moreover, the taste of the product won’t differ greatly, and your eating comfort won’t suffer. This is very important, especially when losing weight. Food should bring pleasure—this is the key to successful long-term weight loss.

3. Reduce the fat content of dishes during the cooking process.

For instance, when preparing meat, remove visible fat. Chicken meat becomes 2.5 to 3 times less fatty and, consequently, fewer calories when the skin is removed.

Another tip: if you place meat broth in the refrigerator overnight, you can remove the excess fat that rises to the top in the morning. Even if you're frying something, use non-stick pans, which allow you to cook food easily without adding oils or only adding a small amount.

There is also a lot of kitchen equipment available today that allows you to cook food with minimal fat or even without it, such as slow cookers, air fryers, and so on.

4. Reduce the fat content of your food directly on your plate.

It’s very simple to do—cut off pieces of fat from meat and set them aside. Remove the skin from already cooked poultry. Set aside the fattier pieces of cake and remove excess cream from sweets.

5. Use a "restaurant style" of dining.

This method is very helpful when you are a guest or at a banquet, etc. First, place healthy and low-fat delicacies (vegetables, salads, low-fat meat, fish, etc.) on your plate, ensuring there’s a sufficient quantity. Then, dedicate a small section of your plate to indulge in what you really like, regardless of fat content.

The beauty of this method lies in the fact that it allows you to constantly change your taste sensations. This, again, is very comfortable! And the chances of overeating under such conditions are much lower!

6. Divide all the food you consume into everyday food and food for pleasure.

The first is meant to satisfy, energize, and restore strength. The second is meant to provide pleasure and enjoyment. You should clearly understand that you shouldn’t fill up on treats. This won’t be beneficial and will certainly add extra pounds.

So, eat treats when you are already full. That way, even a small amount will be satisfying. This will lift your mood and prevent any "extra" from adding on.

As you can see, it’s not that complicated. I hope the tips I’ve outlined in this article will prove useful to you. Good luck!!!