The unofficial start of summer is upon us, meaning it’s time to take off that sweater and break out the bikini. With a few more days before the beach, there’s still time to cut calories where it counts. Find out what tips Tanya Zuckerbrot, celebrity nutritionist and founder of F-Factor, keeps in her back pocket to slim down for summer.
Fruit exchange – While bananas are high in nutritional qualities, they’re also high in calories and carbohydrates. Skip the banana and have a serving of fiber-rich raspberries instead.
Caloric savings = 70 calories
Dip do-over – Nonfat Greek yogurt is an absolute Hercules of an ingredient. Make your French Onion or Veggie Dip with that rather than sour cream, which is loaded with saturated fat.
Caloric savings = 240 calories
Go topless! – Summer means BBQ season, but this year we’re living by the motto, “Suns out. Buns out.” Get your burger, bun and all, but toss the top half. By removing that bit of bread you save on carbohydrates and calories without sacrificing satisfaction.
Caloric savings = 70 calories
Upgrade your breadcrumbs – Breadcrumbs are commonly used to make veggie burgers, meatballs, and chicken tenders, but 1 cup alone contains 420 calories. Wheat bran is a fraction of the calories and has all the bread taste and texture your body loves. Replace half the bread crumbs in a recipe with wheat bran.
Caloric savings: 110 calories
If you like pina coladas…– Skip the mix, which will set you back 180 calories before you add the alcohol. Use Bai’s Puna Coconut Pineapple instead, and you’ll save so many calories you can certainly have seconds and thirds.
Caloric savings: 175 calories
Fix your caffeine-fix – A nonfat latte can have around 130 calories. A cup of black coffee alone is just 5. Forgo the latte and order up a regular cup of java with a splash of fat-free half-and-half instead.
Caloric savings: 100 calories
Spray it – Each tablespoon of olive oil has 135 calories, which can add up fast when pouring out of the bottle. By putting your olive oil in a mister and spraying it, you have more control over how much you’re using, which can help you to keep the calories down.
Caloric savings: 100 calories
Deli do-over – Order up tuna salad and you may be looking at a scoop of 400 calories—mainly due to the mayo. Instead, order deli meat, either turkey or roast beef. By doing this you avoid the extra grams of fat of a mayo-laden salad.
Caloric savings: 100 calories
