The Easiest Way to Lose 10 Pounds Ever

Posted Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 10:09 am PST

It's weird, but few of us remember this seemingly unforgettable food fact: You can lose 10 pounds a year by cutting out 100 calories a day. Maybe it's just too easy?!?

...Or maybe we just really don't know what 100 calories looks like (unless it's in one of those snack packs). Enter this tip list from The Portion Teller Plan, a raved-about guide to "eating, cheating, and losing weight permanently" that's finally available in paperback. Encourages nutritionist/author Lisa R. Young, PhD, RD: "Instead of meticulously consulting calorie charts or obsessively checking the USDA Nutrient Database, try these simple, painless, calorie-cutting moves" -- each one eliminates about 100 calories.

The punchline: Do one a day, every day, and you'll drop those 10 pounds without doing a single other thing. Or go wild and do two a day! You'll drop 10 pounds in just six months without a minute of dieting. Beauteous.

NO-BRAINER WAYS TO CUT OUT ABOUT
100 CALORIES A DAY
A sampling from Lisa Young, RD

Eat only half of a candy bar or an energy bar (both pack a lot of calories).
Use 1 tablespoon of salad dressing instead of 2 (toss the salad really well and you won't even notice the difference).
Choose small 1-ounce pitas instead of the larger 2-ounce size.
Spread 1 tablespoon of peanut butter instead of 2 on bread or crackers.
Leave the last few bites of pasta on your plate.
Use 1 pat of butter instead of 3 on a baked potato.
Order a tall cappuccino instead of a grande next time you visit Starbucks.

More ideas from RealAge

Scramble 1 egg for yourself, not 2.
Make all your sandwiches open-faced -- omit the top slice of bread.
Skip the last 3 bites of any main course.
Snack on 1 fist-sized bunch of grapes, not 2.
Grab 5 Hershey's dark chocolate Kisses instead of 10.
Choose a white wine spritzer over a 5-ounce glass of wine.
Have a 6-inch Roast Beef sandwich at Subway instead of a 6-inch Classic Steak & Cheese.
Order a small cup at Dairy Queen instead of a small cone.

Have some great tips yourself?

Post your ideas on ways to cut out 100 calories a day in the comments section below. Then put them to work and enjoy the rewards: not only a shrinking waist size, but a younger body overall, because keeping your weight at a desirable level can make your RealAge as much as 6 years younger.

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404 Comments

1. Posted by Alexandra I on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:04 pm PST

Stop eating candy all together and don't drink sodas at all!
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2. Posted by Ernest A on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:09 pm PST

Drink 8 ounces of water before each meal.
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3. Posted by dclady0909@att.net on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:10 pm PST

walk walk walk.
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4. Posted by Alex M on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:11 pm PST

nice advice....but all that junk foood that the list says to only eat a little bit of...well.....DONT EAT ANNNYYYY JUNK FOOD IF YOUR TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT!!!!! DUH! thats a no-brainer!
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5. Posted by Molly H on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:11 pm PST

Before dinner have a glass of water and some type of vegetable that you enjoy. Carrots, celery, maybe raw cauliflower or brocilli. Even a little lo cal dip. You will come to the dinner table feeling fuller (with good food) and will eat less.
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6. Posted by flipmasterj1@sbcglobal.net on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:13 pm PST

Drink more water and less sodas
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7. Posted by samantha61@sbcglobal.net on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:14 pm PST

3300 calories is one pound
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8. Posted by sleatmc on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:14 pm PST

Keep a daily journal of everything you eat. You'll be surprised at how many extra calories you pop in your mouth throughout the course of a day. By keeping a journal you can set a daily calorie goal and stick to it. I keep mine to around 1200 calories per day and I've lost 10lbs since the new year.
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9. Posted by meg f on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:14 pm PST

ritz crackers instead of cookies with an afternoon cup of tea - cuts the before dinner snacking
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10. Posted by Wezie on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:15 pm PST

Just drink more water...it flushes out your system.
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11. Posted by hgk on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:16 pm PST

don't eat after 7:00 p.m.
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12. Posted by Laura W on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:16 pm PST

I cut out soda and starbucks from my diet about 2 years ago (now I drink unsweatened iced tea) and I lost 20 pounds in about 3 months! I was drinking 1 Starbucks and 2 sodas a day.
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13. Posted by daywalkerslaye7985@sbcglobal.net on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:18 pm PST

Drink water with meals instead of coke or tea
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14. Posted by Wezie on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:19 pm PST

Just drink more water and join SparkPeople! www.sparkpeople.com
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15. Posted by always_working55 on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:19 pm PST

2nd that with the candy and also eat only half of what you put on your plate normally. Dont eat anything 3 hours before going to bed. Remember breakfast is coming soon.
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16. Posted by Clare R on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:20 pm PST

It's easy to say not to eat any junk food, candy, soda, etc.at all, but when you do, you are often setting yourself up for failure. Limiting, not eliminating, the amount of treats that you have helps keep you satisfied so you can eat better the rest of the time.
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17. Posted by michelle b on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:20 pm PST

Green tea energy drink help give me the extra kick mid morning. I also ate alot less and loss five pounds. It taste great.
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18. Posted by Linda A on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:21 pm PST

Substitute a large romain lettuce leaf for the bread in a sandwich. Heap tuna or chicken on the leaf with a dab of low-fat dressing and a slice of cheese. Roll up and eat like a wrap. Yummy!
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19. Posted by Pub Lady D on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:21 pm PST

There is a new diet I heard about the other day. It is the "5 Bite Diet" which means you don't eat more than 5 bites of anything on your dinner plate. But of course, it depends upon how big the bites are! :-)
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20. Posted by metallent@sbcglobal.net on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:21 pm PST

Note to parents: please employ these ideas and others for your children. I am a 5'1", 130 lb athletic young woman and many of my 3rd grade students, aged 8,9,and 10, weigh as much or more than I do!!! They can barely walk up stairs without getting winded and they cannot run and play like they would so love to do. America, we're killing our kids, and we don't even know it.
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21. Posted by Lina D on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:22 pm PST

don't eat bread with your meal and drink hot green tea
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22. Posted by Marinko K on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:26 pm PST

Control your portions and start moving. THAT is the best advice.
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23. Posted by Marinko K on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:27 pm PST

Control your portions and start an exercise routine.
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24. Posted by leslie.melvin@sbcglobal.net on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:27 pm PST

EXERCISE!!! This is absolutely essential for good health- physical AND mental- and ensures weight loss will last...
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25. Posted by Nancy H on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:28 pm PST

Use a smaller plate at meals, you will think you are eating more. There is too much super sizing in this world.
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26. Posted by Pub Lady D on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:29 pm PST

The other day I heard about a new diet called the "5 Bite Diet" which means you don't eat more than 5 bites of what you have on your dinner plate. Of course, some people may have bigger bites than others! :-)
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27. Posted by michael p on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:30 pm PST

i drink green tea instead of soda. plus i walk two to four miles m/w/f. YAT YAS
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28. Posted by segrant128@verizon.net on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:30 pm PST

Eat fruit instead of a sweet dessert shirl G.
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29. Posted by mlangebartels on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:30 pm PST

Do some Irish dancing! or salsa, or whatever's fun!
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30. Posted by aliasfan@sbcglobal.net on Wed, Feb 20, 2008, 7:32 pm PST

I agree with most of all of the remarks about cutting calories. I walk six days a week my husband and I talk and just have a good time! I lost 50 lbs! I could'nt believe it! I knew that my clothes were "loose", but it was'nt until I went for my annual check up and my doctor said, "what have you been doing?" my response was nothing but taking a walk!
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