When people ask me what a low calorie density diet is, I describe it as “diluting the calories in your food”. Instead of eating less food in order to lose weight, you get to eat the same amount if not more – because there are less calories per bite!
Here are 4 incredibly easy ways to do that:
1. Skip the high-calorie dressings and sauces and instead, opt for lemon or lime juice and spices. Some of my favorite spices that I use daily are onion powder, garlic powder, dill, chili flakes, paprika, black pepper, sea salt, cumin, curry powder, and cinnamon.
2. Add dark leafy greens to your meals! Spinach, kale, and other salad greens are approximately 100 calories per pound and are full of water and fiber. Add them to dip, smoothies, soups, pasta, and rice dishes. This dilutes the overall calorie density of the meal and when mixed in, you barely taste that they’re there…so, this could be a great trick if you’re not a big fan of eating your greens.
3. NO DEHYDRATED FOODS. This includes peanut butter powder, raisins, and anything else that has the water removed from it. The reason I avoid this is that the water content of food helps to keep you full… when you eat foods that have no water content, you are consuming calories but will still be hungry for more food. This isn’t optimal if you’re trying to lose weight.
4. If you’re trying to lose ‘the last 10 pounds’ and feel that your weight loss has plateaued, I recommend swapping out rice, beans, pasta for potatoes, and sweet potatoes. Cooked potatoes are only approximately 350 calories per pound, which is much lower than rice, beans, and pasta and also incredibly satiating. While this change might not make an immediately noticeable difference to your weight loss – over the course of the next few weeks and months, it likely will.
I hope you found these tips to be useful! Sending love your way always,
Melissa
