30 Ways to Cut 100 Calories

Reader's Digest: Strengthen Your Immune SystemUpdated: Aug. 06, 2019

Did you know that if you shaved just 200 calories a day from your diet, you could lose 22 pounds in a year? Start with one or more of these easy ways to cut calories and you won’t even notice that you’re working towards weight loss.

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How to Cut 143 Calories

A Smart Sundae Substitute

Sensible eating doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in sweet treats. Instead of a strawberry ice cream sundae (267 calories), for instance, try 250 mL of strawberries (110 calories), topped with two tablespoons of whipped cream from a can (14 calories).

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How to Cut 100 Calories

Become an Egg-Poacher

Poach two large eggs (150 calories) instead of frying them in one tablespoon butter (250 calories).

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How to Cut 172 Calories

Skim Off the Cream

Cutting calories doesn’t necessarily mean taking your coffee black. Pour four tablespoons of whole milk (60 calories) in your coffee, rather than four tablespoons of light cream (232 calories).

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How to Cut 73 Calories

Try an Alternative Breakfast

Instead of one 85-gram corn muffin (258 calories), have one 60-gram buttermilk waffle with one teaspoon of pure maple syrup and one tablespoon of whipped cream from a can (185 calories).

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How to Cut 141 Calories

Lunch on Ham

Try a sandwich with 85 grams of ham (133 calories), instead of one plain hamburger (274 calories).

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How to Cut 140 Calories

Drop the Pop

Switch from a can of cola (140 calories) to a glass of water (0 calories).

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How to Cut 100 Calories

Add Some Carrot to Coleslaw

Stretch 250 mL of deli coleslaw by mixing it with two 225-gram packs of shredded carrots. Have 250 mL of this mixture in place of the original recipe and save 100 calories.

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How to Cut 140 Calories

Feast on Fruit

Pass on 250 mL of orange sherbet (270 calories). Feast instead on two large, chilled navel oranges (130 calories).

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How to Cut 100 Calories

Pick Your Pie

Eat one-tenth of a blueberry pie (300 calories) instead of one-tenth of a pecan pie (400 calories).

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How to Cut 120 Calories

Make Sensible Stir-Fry

When stir-frying, use one tablespoon of olive oil (120 calories) in a nonstick wok rather than two tablespoons of oil (240 calories) in a plain steel wok.

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How to Cut 100 Calories

Trim Your Meat

Trim the visible fat from a 100-gram steak and save 100 calories.

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How to Cut 96 Calories

Really Hungry?

Grill or broil a 170-gram slab of salmon (310 calories) in place of a 170-gram slab of prime beef tenderloin (406 calories).

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How to Cut 330 Calories

Get a Small Fry

Get a small order of fries (210 calories) instead of “super-sizing” (540 calories), or eat a baked sweet potato (136 calories).

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How to Cut 200 Calories

Mix It Up

Rather than eating 500 mL of rice pilaf (400 calories), mix 120 mL of pilaf with 500 mL of chopped vegetables (less than 200 calories).

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How to Cut 122 Calories

Cut the Cheese

Add protein to a salad with one sliced hard-boiled egg (78 calories) instead of 55 grams of shredded cheese (200 calories).

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How to Cut 99 Calories

Change Your Meat

Dine on 120 mL of beef stew (110 calories) instead of one knockwurst link (209 calories).

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How to Cut 117 Calories

Switch the Sauce

Top a 100-gram serving of spaghetti with 120 mL of tomato sauce (125 calories) instead of meat sauce (242 calories).

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How to Cut 89 Calories

Do You Crave Bacon?

Substitute two thin slices of turkey bacon (135 calories) for two thick slices of pork bacon (224 calories).

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How to Cut 94 Calories

Drink Wine

Sip two 120-mL glasses of red wine (160 calories) instead of one 120-mL extra-dry martini (254 calories).

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How to Cut 126 Calories

Do Dessert Right

Eat a large banana (114 calories) instead of 45-grams chocolate-covered peanuts (240 calories).

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How to Cut 98 Calories

Be Choosy with Candy

Need to satisfy a craving for sweets? Forgo four caramels (120 calories) for one lollipop (22 calories).

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How to Cut 190 Calories

Count Wafers

It’s easy to lose count when snacking… Eat five vanilla wafers (190 calories) instead of 10 (380 calories), and you’ve saved yourself nearly 200 calories.

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