Cutting calories from your diet is the quickest and most effective way to lose weight. For instance, it's much tougher to burn 500 calories on a treadmill than it is to simply cut 500 calories out of your diet. Either method works to help you lose weight, but eating smaller portions can help melt away the fat more quickly. The amount of weight you lose is directly related to how many calories you shave from each meal.
Safe Weight Loss
Losing weight too fast can be unhealthy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It says that the ideal weight loss target is between 1 and 2 lbs. per week. So, when determining your weight loss goal keep this recommendation in mind. Set long term and short term weight loss goals. For instance, a long term goal could be to lose 30 lbs. in the next 12 months while a short term goal could be to eliminate soda from your diet by the end of the week.
Portion Size
Eating smaller meals on a more frequent basis offers the advantages of controlling your hunger and keeping your metabolism high. The Department of Health and Human Services suggests paying attention to the nutritional labels on food to determine the proper serving size. A low-calorie breakfast that's high in nutritional value may include a slice of whole wheat bread with jelly, shredded wheat cereal with low-fat milk, ¾ cup o orange juice and 1 cup of coffee. This meal would fit within the guidelines for a 1,200 to 1,600 calorie diet plan.
Foods
The Dept. of HHS recommends focusing your meals on vegetables, fruit, whole grains and meat/beans. Always choose lower calorie alternatives if available. For instance, choose diet soda over regular soda and skim milk over whole milk. Foods high in fiber, such as fruits and vegetables, offer the benefit of making you feel full longer, so it can help curb your food cravings as you reduce your portion sizes. Whole grain cereals and oatmeal are also fiber-rich foods that are nutritious ways to start your day.
Calories
By eating smaller meals, you'll also be reducing the number of calories you consume. Be sure that it does not drop below the Dept. of HHS minimum calorie intake recommendation of 1,000 to 1,200 for adult women and 1,200 to 1,600 calories for men. You can also use the free MyPyramid tool created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to determine a custom calorie plan for you. Once you know how many calories you should be eating each day to lose weight, divide that number out equally amongst each of your daily meals. For instance, a 1,600 calorie-a-day plan could be divided up between four 400-calorie meals spaced out every three hours throughout the day.
Potential
Cut about 167 calories from each of your three daily meals to burn 1-lb. per week. This is equal 500 calories per day and 3,500 calories per week. At this rate, you expect to lose a significant amount of weight in a matter of months. Over the course of a year, this can equate to a weight loss of 52 lbs all by eating smaller portions.
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