Summary
You can make subtle changes in your diet or activity level and lose weight by cutting out or burning 100 calories each day.
Good news: Trimming or burning just 100 calories a day can lead to weight loss over time. Try some of these ideas and see how simple and comfortable it can be to cut back here and there.
Trim 100 calories
These changes aren’t harsh restrictions—just changes. Find the ones that fit your current eating habits.
- Check nutrition labels and see how little you need to cut out from your diet. Could you eat just a little less pasta, rice, or cereal? Try ½ cup less of those.
- Switch to lower-fat options without sacrificing taste—experiment with low-fat ice creams, yogurts, cheeses, mayonnaise, butter spreads.
- For stove-top cooking, use nonstick spray over butter.
- Reduce the butter in recipes by just one tablespoon.
- Try a lower calorie bread for your toast or sandwiches. Many brands are close to 100 calories per slice, but some are half that.
- Eat one less handful of nuts or one or two fewer cookies.
- Use half your usual creamy salad dressing or switch to a vinaigrette.
- Trade potato chips for pretzels.
- Drink skim milk rather than whole milk.
- Got to have cake? Eat a cupcake rather than a whole serving of cake. Try the low-fat instructions on brownie and cake mixes. You can even find a lower calorie version of doughnuts.
- Swap out one sugary drink each day with a glass of water.
- Bake, broil, or grill meats rather than fry them. Put lemon on fish rather than tartar sauce.
Burn 100 calories
You can also add activities to your day, just minutes at a time, to burn roughly 100 extra calories. The exact number of minutes to equal 100 calories burned depends on your weight and how vigorously you move. But, adding some of these suggestions will help you burn more calories than you currently do—that’s what counts. Be sure to check with your physician before starting an exercise program.
- Dance around the room for 20 minutes or jog in place for 12 minutes.
- Walk briskly for 15 minutes or walk a mile at a moderate pace.
- Play tennis for 15 minutes.
- Do you employ a house cleaner? Save money and do your own vacuuming, mopping, ironing, etc. Housework can burn 100 calories in just 25 minutes!
- Need a change in your surroundings? Painting a room burns 100 calories in 30 minutes.
- Play catch or Frisbee with your children for 30 minutes.
- Shoot hoops for 20 minutes.
- Lift weights for 15 minutes.
- Mow the lawn (push mower, please), rake leaves, or weed the garden for 20 minutes.
- Wash and wax your car yourself rather than drive through a car wash. You can burn 100 calories in 20 minutes.
- Play golf for 20 minutes, but skip the cart.
- Bike leisurely around the neighborhood for 25 minutes.
Mix and match these ideas or brainstorm other ways you can trim and burn 100 calories a day. The important thing is to try a few and make them part of your routine … and you’re on your way to weight loss.
Summary
You can make subtle changes in your diet or activity level and lose weight by cutting out or burning 100 calories each day.
Good news: Trimming or burning just 100 calories a day can lead to weight loss over time. Try some of these ideas and see how simple and comfortable it can be to cut back here and there.
Trim 100 calories
These changes aren’t harsh restrictions—just changes. Find the ones that fit your current eating habits.
- Check nutrition labels and see how little you need to cut out from your diet. Could you eat just a little less pasta, rice, or cereal? Try ½ cup less of those.
- Switch to lower-fat options without sacrificing taste—experiment with low-fat ice creams, yogurts, cheeses, mayonnaise, butter spreads.
- For stove-top cooking, use nonstick spray over butter.
- Reduce the butter in recipes by just one tablespoon.
- Try a lower calorie bread for your toast or sandwiches. Many brands are close to 100 calories per slice, but some are half that.
- Eat one less handful of nuts or one or two fewer cookies.
- Use half your usual creamy salad dressing or switch to a vinaigrette.
- Trade potato chips for pretzels.
- Drink skim milk rather than whole milk.
- Got to have cake? Eat a cupcake rather than a whole serving of cake. Try the low-fat instructions on brownie and cake mixes. You can even find a lower calorie version of doughnuts.
- Swap out one sugary drink each day with a glass of water.
- Bake, broil, or grill meats rather than fry them. Put lemon on fish rather than tartar sauce.
Burn 100 calories
You can also add activities to your day, just minutes at a time, to burn roughly 100 extra calories. The exact number of minutes to equal 100 calories burned depends on your weight and how vigorously you move. But, adding some of these suggestions will help you burn more calories than you currently do—that’s what counts. Be sure to check with your physician before starting an exercise program.
- Dance around the room for 20 minutes or jog in place for 12 minutes.
- Walk briskly for 15 minutes or walk a mile at a moderate pace.
- Play tennis for 15 minutes.
- Do you employ a house cleaner? Save money and do your own vacuuming, mopping, ironing, etc. Housework can burn 100 calories in just 25 minutes!
- Need a change in your surroundings? Painting a room burns 100 calories in 30 minutes.
- Play catch or Frisbee with your children for 30 minutes.
- Shoot hoops for 20 minutes.
- Lift weights for 15 minutes.
- Mow the lawn (push mower, please), rake leaves, or weed the garden for 20 minutes.
- Wash and wax your car yourself rather than drive through a car wash. You can burn 100 calories in 20 minutes.
- Play golf for 20 minutes, but skip the cart.
- Bike leisurely around the neighborhood for 25 minutes.
Mix and match these ideas or brainstorm other ways you can trim and burn 100 calories a day. The important thing is to try a few and make them part of your routine … and you’re on your way to weight loss.
Summary
You can make subtle changes in your diet or activity level and lose weight by cutting out or burning 100 calories each day.
Good news: Trimming or burning just 100 calories a day can lead to weight loss over time. Try some of these ideas and see how simple and comfortable it can be to cut back here and there.
Trim 100 calories
These changes aren’t harsh restrictions—just changes. Find the ones that fit your current eating habits.
- Check nutrition labels and see how little you need to cut out from your diet. Could you eat just a little less pasta, rice, or cereal? Try ½ cup less of those.
- Switch to lower-fat options without sacrificing taste—experiment with low-fat ice creams, yogurts, cheeses, mayonnaise, butter spreads.
- For stove-top cooking, use nonstick spray over butter.
- Reduce the butter in recipes by just one tablespoon.
- Try a lower calorie bread for your toast or sandwiches. Many brands are close to 100 calories per slice, but some are half that.
- Eat one less handful of nuts or one or two fewer cookies.
- Use half your usual creamy salad dressing or switch to a vinaigrette.
- Trade potato chips for pretzels.
- Drink skim milk rather than whole milk.
- Got to have cake? Eat a cupcake rather than a whole serving of cake. Try the low-fat instructions on brownie and cake mixes. You can even find a lower calorie version of doughnuts.
- Swap out one sugary drink each day with a glass of water.
- Bake, broil, or grill meats rather than fry them. Put lemon on fish rather than tartar sauce.
Burn 100 calories
You can also add activities to your day, just minutes at a time, to burn roughly 100 extra calories. The exact number of minutes to equal 100 calories burned depends on your weight and how vigorously you move. But, adding some of these suggestions will help you burn more calories than you currently do—that’s what counts. Be sure to check with your physician before starting an exercise program.
- Dance around the room for 20 minutes or jog in place for 12 minutes.
- Walk briskly for 15 minutes or walk a mile at a moderate pace.
- Play tennis for 15 minutes.
- Do you employ a house cleaner? Save money and do your own vacuuming, mopping, ironing, etc. Housework can burn 100 calories in just 25 minutes!
- Need a change in your surroundings? Painting a room burns 100 calories in 30 minutes.
- Play catch or Frisbee with your children for 30 minutes.
- Shoot hoops for 20 minutes.
- Lift weights for 15 minutes.
- Mow the lawn (push mower, please), rake leaves, or weed the garden for 20 minutes.
- Wash and wax your car yourself rather than drive through a car wash. You can burn 100 calories in 20 minutes.
- Play golf for 20 minutes, but skip the cart.
- Bike leisurely around the neighborhood for 25 minutes.
Mix and match these ideas or brainstorm other ways you can trim and burn 100 calories a day. The important thing is to try a few and make them part of your routine … and you’re on your way to weight loss.