by Penny Howington

Created on: December 13, 2009

Obesity is rampant in our country. We have been so busy that fast food has become a way of life. I've even had a friend tell me she was too busy to diet, because she didn't have the time to plan, shop for and prepare food for a diet! Like it or not, the days of sitting down to a well balanced, family dinner are waning. However, there are still ways to cut your daily caloric intake without spending a lot of time and effort.

Start At The Store

This can be done without taking any extra time out of your schedule. When grocery shopping, simply grab the low calorie or "light" versions of the foods you are already there to buy. Skim or low fat milk and yogurt are much lower in calories than whole milk and regular yogurt. Low calorie salad dressings save many calories, and simply grabbing sugarless gum or mints does also. Picking up one of the low calorie sweeteners instead of a bag of sugar will save you a lot of calories and it can be substituted in anything you would use sugar for, including baking.

Make Some Substitutions

If you have a sweet tooth like I do, watching calories can be a real problem. I have found that eating a piece of fruit satisfies my craving for sweet things and makes a much healthier snack. Sugarless fruit flavored "Jello" does too. I have found that reducing the amount of salt I use when preparing food is helpful in reducing my body's water retention. Snacking on popcorn instead of chips or pretzels saves calories as well. Rice cakes are another alternative for snacks, and come in a variety of flavors. Simply switching to cooking spray instead of cooking foods in oil or butter reduces the caloric content in foods. Also, at home or when eating out, blot the excess oil and fat off of your food before you eat it. Pizza many times has a lot of oil on it, and simply laying your french fries on a napkin while you are eating will remove a lot of extra grease.

Don't Overlook Beverages

Suprisingly, many people consume more calories in their beverages than they do in their food. Super sized drinks and fancy coffees are all too popular. The best thing you can do for your body is to drink water. That said, there are other ways to shave calories without having to say no to your cravings. Drink diet sodas rather than regular. Many diet sodas have zero calories. Coffee lovers can save hundreds of calories per drink by simply making your favorite order at home with lower calorie whipped cream and chocolate. If you make frozen concentrated juices, add one extra can of water when preparing. Not only do you get more juice to drink, but you get less calories in your glass.

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