Besides eating nutritious foods, watching your calorie intake is an important practice to ensure weight maintenance or weight loss. In fact, the most common cause of weight gain is an improper meal plan!

Too frequently, we find ourselves either overeating or eating the complete wrong thing. To take control of your calorie intake, implement some of these easy tips:

1. Grocery shop on a full stomach

When we grocery shop on an empty stomach, our eyes can become wider than our stomachs and lead to poor food choices. Instead of letting hunger take control, eat a small snack before grocery shopping.

Grocery shopping tip: Take the time to review your options and only purchase what you would encourage another person to consume if they were in your same position.

2. Drink your coffee black

Depending on what type of creamer you’re using, you could be adding hundreds of calories to your calorie count! It may be difficult to become accustomed to the ‘normal’ taste of tea or coffee, but ditching the heavy creamers will be worth it in the long run. If you must sweeten your drink, opt for 1-2 Tbsp of Non-Fat milk or Stevia®.

3. Skip out on soda

Sugary beverages are filled with “empty calories” – calories that carry no nutritional value.  Instead, get your carbonated beverage fix with seltzer water!

Not only is water 0-calorie, it helps alleviate the sensation of hunger and promotes clear skin, temperature regulation, nutrient transportation, digestive health, and more.

4. Eat enough protein

Unlike liquids, proteins are highly satiating – meaning they help you not only feel full, but stay that way! If you’re not feeling hungry, you’re less prone to over-eating or mindless snacking.  Proteins are most commonly found in lean meats like steak and chicken, but you can also get a great protein fix from protein shakes and vegetables.

5. Reduce Usage of Cooking Oils/Butter

Just one tablespoon of Olive Oil has 120 calories and 14 grams of carbs, with 0 nutritional value! Butter isn’t much better, measuring up with 102 calories per Tbsp and 0 carbs, but 31mg of cholesterol.

Sautéing with chicken or vegetable broth is a great low-calorie alternative to these common cooking ingredients.

6. Cook at home

Eating out can be fun and convenient, but it tends to act as an excuse to over-indulge. When we cook at home, we are in control of both the portion sizes and ingredients.

7. Choose your toppings carefully

Dress your salads with freshly-squeezed citrus juice or homemade sauces as to ensure what you’re eating isn’t high calorie. If you’re in need of a crunch, ditch the croutons for snappy vegetables or 0-sugar-added dried fruit.