What "tricks" have you found for cutting calories?

Low fat cheese
Dark chocolate instead of milk (and only 100 calorie bars)
Small ice cream cones instead of big ones
Fat free greek yogurt instead of low fat (so I can eat more for my calories pretty much, and because I try and stay under my fat goal). It tastes just fine to me.
Rarely any mayo and if I feel I need some, low fat one.
No more 300 calories crap that will fill me up for one hour unless I have a ton of calories left for the day
Water instead of soda and juice
I pretty much only eat salads with my own dressing (lots of vinegar, a bit of olive oil, and mustard) or I just dip my fork in the dressing
Eat more veggies
Substitute breads/tacos for lettuce (haven't felt the need to do that much lately though)


Heck I have 436 calories left today, and I already had an ice cream cone. And I'm so full.

Balsalmic vinegar in place of any and all salad dressings, homemade if aiming for a certain flavour. No butter or margarine, unless I'm baking, in which case it's a special occasion. Coconut oil or EVOO, but always in tiny amounts and only if necessary. Steaming instead of frying (like with mushrooms or eggs). Cutting down portions. Not eating the high calorie, high processed foods really helps (processed meats especially).

I cut cheese and margarine from my sandwiches. 25g cheese is over 100 calories. I still have mayo and Nandos sauce (which is only a few calories). So can have Ham, lettuce, tomato, bean sprouts and it is only about 300 calories. Nice tasty sammy and keeps me full.

Also I agree with the pre-loggers...

defiantly planning all my meals (except snacks) in the morning before I actually eat them helps 110%. I never counted calories before, and I actually found out I was always under the amount I should have. But when you plan your meals, you can see what amount if left for snacks so you can plan accordingly.

1. Weighing/measuring portions
2. Using tortillas/flatbreads for home made pizza crusts
3. Picking out extra lean ground beef instead of whatever leanness is on sale.

I do these too. Also we can buy pizza dough at hungry howies uncooked so I take 1/8 equal to one slice and thin it out into a large crust and then use lots of veggies and sauce then little cheese. This way I control my calories yet still get a lot of pizza when the craving hits lol. Always use 96/4 ground beef beef tenderloin for steak and pork loin not chops
Also sub Greek yogurt for oil in most baking recipes and egg beaters for the eggs. Lots and lots more.... Been doing this a while now, I never wanted change my meals, just make them work for the new me. So far so good!

Massive amounts of veggies.

Vegetables are low-calorie but very filling. Great health benefits too, have you heard? I get those big family-sized Green Giant steamfresh bags (with a yummy olive oil/herb or butter sauce). I cook that up, laugh at the "4 servings" and eat the whole dang bag. :drinker:

Replace the crust on your pizza with cauliflower mash

NO.

I thought it was kale mash. I get all those vegetably-thingys confused.

I love to bulk stuff up with a ton of veggies, really helps you feel like you are eating a lot more than you are.

Make meals that are majority vegetables.

- portabello mushrooms for mini pizza crust
- make a spinach taco salad (lose the shell)
- Skip oils whenever possible
- replace almost any simple carb with veggies (spaghetti sauce on spinach instead of noodles)
- eat more protein
- nutritional yeast in place of cheese
- frozen banana "ice cream"
- mashed banana and oatmeal cookies (two ingredients)
- cucumber slices instead of chips with dip
- don't fear fat, it's satiating and can cut down on overall calories but have whole food fats like nuts, fish, and avocado
- replace beef with turkey
- If you can find longans, they're a sweet lo-cal fruit similar to lychees
- drink tons of water and cut out sodas and jucies (I'd cut out diet pop as well)

Pre-logging.

So many times it's like 'aah but the soda machine is cold and delicious ... 170 calories of pure sugar? ... okay I'm not that thirsty.'

Of course sometimes I give in. I ain't perfect.

I do this, too.