You’ve probably already heard that, when it comes to losing weight, you need to eat less and move more.
And while that is partially true, there’s much more to the story to that.
Your hormones, how much sleep you get and the quality of it, and your stress levels can all affect how easy or hard it is to lose weight.
But, at the end of the day, you also can’t eat more than your body burns off and expect to lose weight. That just won’t happen unfortunately.
The other problem that comes in is going too low with your calories.
Do this and you’ll feel sluggish, which can make you crave quick energy hits in the form of carbs and sugar, and you’ll eventually be so hungry that you end up overeating to compensate.
A better approach is to reduce your calories in a slower, much more sustainable way.
And I’m not talking about eating lettuce all day and nothing of substance.
Instead, I’ll show you what you can do to feel full, eat more nutrient dense foods, and not have to count a single calorie:
How to Naturally Lower Your Calories Without Starving Yourself
Try these tips and you’ll find that you can lower your calories without much effort and you actually will feel fuller instead of hungry all day.
1. Load Up on Veggies at Every Meal
I try to make sure my breakfast has veggies in it and I’ll also try to add a small side salad too so that I can start my day right.
From there, I usually have a loaded salad with veggies for lunch and, for dinner, I’ll have a side of non-starchy veggies and will sometimes add a salad if I’m extra hungry.
This may seem like I eat a lot of veggies (and I do), but loading up on veggies means you’ll be getting fiber all throughout your day.
Fiber is helpful for helping you feel full on less calories and it’s a great way to get micronutrients in, which help your body perform and feel its best (I’ll touch more on micronutrients in a guide later on). I also find that my cravings are drastically reduced when I’m getting enough fiber in.
Fiber also helps keep you regulated if you know what Ii mean 😉💩.
2. Drop the Processed Foods
Have you ever felt like you couldn’t stop eating chips or cookies once you pop them open?
If so, you’re not alone.
These foods are designed to be hyperpalatable and easy to overeat.
But even foods touted as “healthy” can make you overeat when it’s the last thing you want to do (hello granola and granola bars).
Plus, it doesn’t take much to over consume calories.
That’s why I try to avoid processed foods as much as possible and instead reach for whole-foods as often as I can.
This is another easy step that’ll help you slash calories and cut cravings.
If you’re really craving something more processed — hey, I’m real and get it! — have a satisfying meal with fiber and protein first so that you won’t be as likely to overeat the processed foods and avoid munching on them when you’re starving and on an empty stomach
3. Focus on Protein First, Then Fiber, Then a Small Amount of Fat
I’ve mentioned it before why I choose protein and fiber — it’s satisfying and keeps you feeling full on less.
The goal here is not to starve yourself and instead give yourself as much nutrition as you can for less calories, which is entirely possible to do.
But on top of eating protein and fiber, I also add in a small amount of fat so that I can feel satisfied for longer.
Fat takes roughly 5-6 hours to digest so you’ll extend how long your meal keeps you feeling full.
Fat is also helpful for digesting the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K and it’s great for keeping your hormones happy.
Keep in mind, fat is high in calories so, despite what you see on Instagram, you may not be able to eat a half an avocado and lose weight. But that doesn’t mean you should avoid fat altogether either.
That’s why I try to take it easy with fats but make sure I include them.
My favorite way to do that is to have a spoonful of olive oil as my salad dressing with a squeeze of fresh lemon, lime, or orange to add some flavor.
I also eat a handful of roasted but unsalted nuts as a snack if I’m feeling hungry between meals.
4. Drop Highly Processed Sauces
Salad dressings and sauces can be one of the biggest calorie culprits.
The problem is, they’re packed with crappy vegetable oils — mostly soybean and canola — and other ingredients that aren’t healthy or filling.
For the amount of calories you have to fork over, it’s not worth it.
A better approach is to use olive oil — you’ll see a similar calorie count but because it’s nutrient-dense and made from whole foods (olives), you’ll actually feel satisfied instead of hungry for more — or make your own sauces.
By doing the latter, you can control what goes in and how many calories come with it.
Plus, it’s way easier than you think to make your own sauces. I’ll share some recipes soon if you’re interested (let me know in the comments below).
5. Eat Out Less and Cook More at Home
Next, and something that was talked about in my NASM Nutrition Coaching course, is eating out less because there’s no way you can control what they put into their cooking methods.
They may throw in more butter, cooking oil, or heavily calorie sauces that add up to way more calories than anyone needs.
Even if you ask for the sauce on the side, you won’t know what was added during the cooking process.
If you’re going to eat out, make sure you choose foods that are grilled or roasted instead of fried, battered, or cooked in thick and creamy sauces.
Again, it’s okay to have decadent meals once in a while but if it’s happening more often than not, then you’ll quickly rack up unwanted calories and pounds.
6. Eat Salads That Actually Fill You Up
I also eat a ton of salads. But I’m smart about them.
I don’t just eat lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
I make sure my salads start with a high-protein food, they have a variety of vegetables, and I add a small amount of fat in olives or olive oil (or both).
This helps me load up on less calories and keeps me feeling full for longer.
I can also share more about my salads if you want, just let me know in the comments below.
7. Enjoy Beverages that are Low In Calories
Lastly, I also make sure I’m not drinking my calories, which I’m sure you’ve heard before.
If I’m having coffee, I don’t use any sugar sweeteners and instead opt for flavored coffee beans instead.
And if I need a break from water, I’ll enjoy tea or Zevia drinks which contain zero calories but they use Stevia as a sweetener. Zevia sodas won’t raise blood sugar or lead to weight gain like artificial sweeteners do.
I plan to write an article on my favorite no calorie drinks soon so keep an eye out for that.
Lower Your Calories without Starving Yourself Today
I don’t want to overwhelm you with tons of information so I’ll stop here. This gives you plenty of great ideas to run with.
The take home message here is that you don’t have to starve yourself to cut calories.
You can do so naturally while getting in a dose of nutrients.
Let me know your thoughts or questions on this post by dropping a comment below!
I hope you enjoyed this article and that you’ll stick around for my next one!
Thank you!
Devan