The Magic of 100 Calories

Did you know that if you eat 100 fewer calories each day, you could lose 10 pounds in a year?  Did you also know that if you eat 100 calories less and burn another 100 calories through activity (to create a 200 calorie deficit), you could lose 20 pounds in a year?  It's really amazing how small, consistent changes in the foods we eat, portion sizes, and activity level can make a big difference when it comes to managing our weight.

Here is a list of easy ways to cut 100 calories from your eating.

Breakfast
• Replace your morning glass of regular juice with a glass of lite or reduced-sugar juice
• Switch out 1 ounce (oz) of cooked pork bacon for 1 oz of Canadian bacon
• Trade ¼ cup (C) regular pancake syrup for ¼ C lite pancake syrup
• Try replacing 2 fluid ounces (fl oz) of flavored coffee creamer with 2 fl oz of 2% milk
• Choose three medium-sized pancakes, instead of ordering an 8″ round waffle

Lunch
• Replace 1 C of a cream-based soup with 1 C of a broth-based soup
• Use diet bread to make your sandwich
• Skip the cheese on your burger, sandwich, or salad
• Choose carbonated fruit-flavored water, instead of regular soda
• Trade a 6-oz cup of yogurt with fruit on the bottom for a four-oz cup of lite yogurt blended with fruit

Dinner
• Make your tacos with 3 oz of grilled chicken breast, instead of 3 oz of 85% lean ground beef
• Choose one slice of thin-crust cheese pizza, instead of a slice of pepperoni pan pizza (one piece is measured as one eighth of a 14″ pizza)
• Replace either smoked pork or beef sausage with either smoked turkey or chicken sausage
• Replace 2 tablespoons (Tbsp) of salted stick butter with 2 Tbsp of a reduced-calorie margarine spread
• Choose ½ C of black beans, instead of refried beans, when preparing Mexican food

Snacks
• Choose a ½ C of sorbet, instead of premium ice cream
• Munch on five reduced-fat vanilla wafers, instead of one big chocolate-chip cookie
• Use ¼ C fat-free ranch dressing, instead of French onion dip, for your raw vegetables or pretzels
• Replace half of the oil in your favorite recipe with unsweetened applesauce
• Trade your regular buttered popcorn for Orville Redenbacher’s® SmartPop! Gourmet® microwave popcorn

Think you're already portion savvy?  Take this fun quiz to find out if you know what 100 calories actually looks like. 

Here is a list of easy ways to burn 100 calories.

15 Minute Activities - Aerobic dance, racquetball, jogging

20 Minute Activities - Gardening, washing the car, walking the dog, pushing a stroller

25 Minutes Activities - Bicycling

40 Minute Activities - Light household chores