When you’re trying to slim down or get healthy, cutting empty calories is the easiest way to give your efforts a jump-start.
By empty calories, we mean soda, desserts, doughnuts, chips—stuff that you eat and drink that delivers calories with little long-term satisfaction and few nutrients. To pare them down, you don’t need to start cooking every meal from scratch (although that’s not necessarily a bad idea). But you do want your food to be filled with something other than calories—like hunger-busting and health-boosting fiber, muscle-friendly protein, and micronutrients that come from plants that your body runs on.
The good news is this: Putting healthy calories where empty ones used to be doesn’t have to be a big, hangry nightmare.
As Kim Yawitz, a registered dietitian and gym owner in St. Louis, Mo., points out, studies have shown that fad diets and drastic calorie deficits don’t work for weight loss—at least not if you want to keep it off. It’s more effective and more sustainable to make small changes to your everyday routines and eating habits. “It might not seem like using less salad dressing or drinking one less soda would put a dent in your weight loss goal, but these little tweaks add up when performed consistently,” says Yawitz.
Plus, making smaller everyday changes often means still enjoying what you love in moderation and with modifications—and intention. (So, yes, there’s a pizza tip on this list).
“Mindless eating or snacking throughout the day might not seem harmful, but if you’re not watching the amount, you might unknowingly be eating hundreds of extra calories each day and stalling your weight loss,” says registered dietitian nutritionist and personal trainer Lara Clevenger, MSH, RDN, CPT, stressing that a cookie here, a piece of candy there, a soda with lunch—they all add up.
So, start with these tips from Yawitz, Clevenger, Leslie Bonci, R.D. (sports dietician for the Kansas City Chiefs), and more experts.
1. Eat bigger meals
“Americans eat around 400 to 500 calories daily from snack foods, on average, and most of these calories come from convenience foods and sweets. Eating three to four balanced meals daily will help satisfy you, reducing the urge to fill up on empty snack calories,” says Yawitz. That’s why Yawitz recommends that most men start with two palm-sized portions of protein, two fist-sized servings of veggies, one-to-two cupped handfuls of healthy carbs, and two thumb-sized portions of healthy fat at each meal. “You can add a bit more food if you’re highly active or eat slightly fewer carbs or fats if you’re less active,” she said.
2. Make condiment swaps
Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDE, CDN, a preventive cardiology dietitian at EntirelyNourished.com, advised substituting high-calorie condiments, such as mayo or creamy dressings, with healthier options, like mustard, salsa, or vinegar-based dressings. “Simple swaps like these not only reduce calories but also add a burst of flavor to your meals, making healthier eating a delicious everyday habit,” she said.
3. Get some sun
Even just a quick walk around your block or a few minutes spent in your backyard can make a difference. “Drink water and get early sunlight exposure before your morning coffee,” says Clevenger. “Studies have shown that sunlight has powerful effects on our mood, sleep and circadian rhythm. Sunlight exposure has been associated with ‘lower odds of lifetime major depressive disorder, antidepressant usage, and low mood, greater happiness and lower neuroticism, independent of demographic, lifestyle, and employment covariates,” added Clevenger.
4. Swap carbs for healthy fats and protein
Clevenger also recommends reducing your carbohydrate intake and focusing on healthy fats and animal protein. “Low carbohydrate diets have been shown to reduce blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, along with improving your HDL cholesterol. They have also been shown to reduce insulin resistance, fasting blood glucose and HbA1c values,” she says, pointing to this research.
5. Add flavor with herbs and spices
Avery Zenker, RD, MAN, a registered dietitian with Everflex Fitness advises clients to use herbs and spices liberally when looking to reduce daily caloric intake. “Herbs and spices are an excellent way to flavor food without adding many calories. This can help food feel more satisfying, promote mindful eating, and make cooking more enjoyable,” she said. “You can use spices to replace or reduce the amount of higher calorie ingredients, like sauces, condiments, and oils,” she says, further commenting that herbs and spices also contain numerous beneficial antioxidants and phytochemicals.
6. Use measuring cups
“Even the healthiest breakfast cereal can make you gain weight if you eat too much of it—and that’s easy to do,” said Yawitz, pointing to a 2021 study in which participants asked to pour their typical portion size of granola were eating more than twice the suggested serving size (on average), for 490 calories. “You don’t need to give up your favorite cereal altogether, but using measuring cups can help keep your portion sizes in check,” she said, noting that this guideline applies to your lunch and dinner choices too.
7. Have veggie soup as a snack
Opt for a bowl of veggie soup when you need a snack and shave potentially hundreds of calories from your daily intake. According to Dr. Joan Salge Blake, EdD, RDN, LDN, FAND, a nutrition professor at Boston University (BU), author of Nutrition & You, and the host of the nutrition & health podcast, “Spot On!,” the soup will replace the empty calories in the sweets and treats for fewer calories and more nutrition. Plus, according to Dr. Blake, research suggests that eating a veggie soup before a meal can help you reduce the calories at that meal by about 20%.
8. Change the milk in your coffee and shakes
Jaclyn Sklaver, MS, CNS, LDN, licensed dietitian with Athleats Nutrition, says that one cup of oat or regular almond milk has 120 calories and 16g carbs (7g sugar), while unsweetened almond milk has 30 calories and 1g carbs with no sugar. “You can find vanilla-flavored unsweetened almond milk to make the transition easier if you are used to the sweet taste of oat and regular almond milk,” says Sklavar, adding that if you make these changes you can save 120 to 240 calories per day, which can be a half a pound per week if you have two cups a day.
9. Pre-portion snacks
It takes a little extra grunt work upfront, though once you get into the hang of it, it will be a quick meal prep step that you may even come to enjoy. “Nuts and fruits make great snacks, but can add up if we are grabbing one or two multiple times per day,” says Lacy M. Puttuck, MS, LD, RDN, CSCS, CISSN, registered dietitian at Top Nutrition Coaching. “If you plan on having nuts or fruits as a snack, measure out a portion, put it in a small container for your snack.”
10. Ask for sauce and dressing on the side
Sauces can often be loaded with excess sodium, sugar, and/or calories. Ashley Harpst, RD, from Go for the Gold Nutrition suggests using less sauce or fewer condiments with your meals to save calories—or skip them altogether if your meal is flavorful enough.
“Many restaurants use double or even triple the standard serving size for salad dressing—meaning that ‘healthy’ salad could include several hundred calories from dressing alone,” says Yawitz. For this reason, Yawitz recommends ordering dressing on the side when and dipping the tips of your fork before each bite.
11. Set a 20-minute timer before going for seconds
Yawitz will be the first to admit it: “It’s always tempting to return for seconds after a delicious home-cooked meal.” Still, she says, waiting out those urges can save you some serious calories. “Whenever you eat, stretch receptors in your stomach and intestines send messages to your brain, signaling that you’ve had enough food. The problem is that this process takes some time (about 20 minutes, by some estimates),” says Yawitz. “If you still want more food after finishing your plate, set a timer for 20 minutes. Once the timer rings, check in with your body to see if you’re still hungry or just having a craving.” Plus, per Yawitz, if you’re not hungry for more, you can save the extra food for leftovers.
12. Start with a salad
Pass the salad tongs or soup spoon, please. “Research has shown that eating a low-calorie side dish such as a salad before the main entrée may reduce the total number of calories consumed by 20%,” says Harpst. Here are four epic salad recipes to inspire you.
13. Eat pizza with a whole grain crust
To shave calories off your daily tally, Harpst says to opt for a whole-grain pizza crust if you’re enjoying some ‘za. “Ask for whole grain pizza crusts to increase the fiber content and increase satiety to help you avoid overeating,” she says. While you’re at it, load up on veggie toppings, friends.
14. Eat more protein at breakfast
“One systematic review and meta-analysis found that individuals who consumed a higher protein breakfast experienced more fullness, less hunger, and lower daily calorie intake than those who consumed a traditional breakfast,” says Zenker. Here are 20 high-protein breakfasts that actually keep you full.
15. Focus on mindful eating
As Puttuck emphasizes, everything you eat should have purpose. “Before you put any food in your mouth, take a second to acknowledge it, determine your hunger level and if you really need that food. Mindful eating has been a successful practice for weight loss,” she says, pointing to this research.
16. Take calls standing
This can work for video calls and phone calls. “Try standing during work or when on a call with friends instead of sitting,” says Routhenstein. Better yet, go for a walk while you chat or conduct business. “Standing burns more calories than sitting and can also enhance concentration and energy levels,” she adds, sharing that if there’s a chance to move around during a call or meeting, it can positively impact your overall health and fitness.
17. Use a different bathroom
How about this for a neat tip we haven’t thought of before? “Choose a bathroom on a different floor or farther away. If it is on a different floor, take the stairs,” says Puttuck. “By increasing overall movement throughout the day, we can burn an extra 200 to 300 calories per day,” she continues, explaining that more movement will equal a greater calorie burn.
18. Cook more meals at home
Again, this doesn’t have to be every meal, but when you can, clean that cutting board and get chopping. “It’s hard to be 100% sure of the ingredients when you order your meals in, or are eating out at restaurants, so prepare meals at home to have more control over ingredients and cooking methods,” said Melanie Murphy Richter, MS, RDN, and Prolon director of communications and medical science educator. “This allows you to choose healthier options, control portion sizes, and avoid the hidden calories often present in takeout meals. Cooking with ingredients that are low in calories and rich in nutrients can contribute to a healthy and longevity-promoting diet. Some examples of these include leafy greens, vegetables, berries, and legumes.”
19. Order shareable meals at restaurants
Dining out? Harpst suggests ordering two appetizers instead of two entrées when you’re at a restaurant. “You are more likely to overeat when you receive large amounts of food,” she says. Plus, sharing makes for a more memorable experience since you both can share feedback on the dishes.
20. Ask for half of your restaurant order to go before it hits the table
You can also swap the above principle for the to-go box technique. Since restaurants often serve large portions of food that contain more calories than you need in one sitting, says Harpst, ask your server to put half of your meal in a to-go box before they serve it to you.
21. Stand straighter
Or taller. However you want to say it, improve your posture, fellas. “Maintaining posture takes active muscle contraction. Muscle contraction requires energy and therefore increases caloric expenditure. Sitting on an unstable surface or even standing to work will really increase the burn,” says Puttuck, referencing this research.
22. Have an open-faced sandwich
“There’s no law saying a sandwich must include two pieces of bread,” says Yawitz. “Eating your sandwiches open-faced (or cutting your bread in half) will save you anywhere from 80 to hundreds of calories, depending on what kind of bread you use.” Smoked paprika open-faced egg salad sandwich, anyone?
23. Incorporate only one fat source in your salad
“This means you get to choose one of the following: cheese, nuts/seeds, avocado, or salad dressing, but not all four or even two,” says Sklaver. “You can easily reduce the calories by upwards of 200 to 600 calories by eliminating these extras from your salads and still get all the benefits of having a delicious, filling salad as a meal.” If you order a salad wrap at your go-to fast casual spot, or make one yourself, stick to one fat source per meal in your wrap too.
24. Eat more fiber
Not-so-fun fact: “Most Americans don’t meet the daily recommendation for fiber intake,” says Zenker, which is at least 38 grams per day for adult men (and at least 25 grams per day for adult women). “Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that takes up volume, but it contributes little to no calories,” said Zenker, further explaining that fiber helps us feel full longer, and also helps reduce blood sugar spikes by slowing the release of sugar into the bloodstream. Also, higher fiber intakes are associated with higher satiety and lower body weight, says Zenker, sharing that fiber is found in whole, plant foods, like fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.
25. Be smarter about sports drinks
“You don’t need 32 ounces of a sports drink every 15 minutes during physical activity,” says Bonci, who’s seen far too many guys construe “stay hydrated” this way. In fact, if you’re doing a 45-minute CrossFit class, or any other workout that’s less than an hour, you probably don’t even need a carb-containing (calorie-containing) drink. Skip a 20-ounce bottle of the stuff, and you’re saving yourself 150 calories without even trying. Of course, sports drinks are valuable in the right situation, but they’re generally just adding calories to a short workout.
Same goes for soda. Opt for flavored seltzer for that carbonation you crave without the sugar and calorie bomb.
26. Avoid drinking calories altogether when you can
“One latte or specialty coffee drink can derail you and pack on calories,” said Sharon George, MS, RD, CDN, director of nutrition at NYBG. That’s why George’s rule of thumb is to never drink your calories. “If you can cut back on high sugar and caloric-dense beverages, it will make a big difference in your weight loss and maintenance,” she says. So, remember, drinking 64 ounces of the right fluid a day will help you not only feel better, but also keep your body from searching for unnecessary calories.”
27. Try the plastic bag challenge
George says we sometimes need a good visual to understand the number of excess calories we consume in a day. “So, take a Ziploc bag with you for a day. Every time you eat something that is not a meal, place the equal amount into your bag. After a full day, you will actually see the volume of excess calories that you are eating,” she says, noting that this exercise will inspire more mindful eating and let you see your eating patterns throughout the day more clearly.
28. Don’t eyeball oils and fats
“Measuring the quantity of what you’re eating can help you gain awareness of portion size,” said Zenker, explaining that you don’t need to measure everything you eat, but that it can be helpful to portion out foods that are more calorie dense, such as oils and fats. “It can be easy to eyeball one tablespoon of oil that turns out to actually be three tablespoons, and three times the calories,” said Zenker.
29. Trade your bagel for an English Muffin
As Yawitz highlights, you don’t need to give up all bread products to lose weight, but being more choosy could save you some serious calories. “One easy way to do this is to trade your morning bagel for an English muffin,” she says, noting that this swap will save you 120 calories compared to a medium (95-gram) bagel—and quite a bit more if you buy larger bagels from a bakery.
30. Trim the skin off chicken
“A little chicken skin won’t hurt you every now and again, but the calories add up if you eat it every day,” says Yawitz. “Removing the skin (or buying skinless) will save you around 100 calories for a medium-sized breast.”
31. Plan ahead
Just like getting to the gym is half the battle, so is preparing nutrient-dense meals. “Planning meals and snacks helps you meet your nutrient needs and stick to your goals,” says Zenker. “It’s also helpful to have a backup plan for when plan A doesn’t always go as planned. It’s much harder to meet your goals when you don’t have a plan.” For instance, if you realize you’re out of pasta and are planning on cooking dinner, but you have some healthy frozen meals in the freezer, reach for those instead of opting for take-out, which tends not to be the healthiest fare.
32. Choose better chips
Get some nutrition for your crunch. Roasted chickpea snacks, roasted soybeans—they’re legit, tasty, easy-to-eat foods, but they have more satisfying fiber and protein than your basic machine-made crunchy thing. You can even get chips made out of mushrooms, Bonci says. In addition to the plant-based nutrients you get, “they provide crunch and flavor and they’re savory, which a lot of guys like.”
33. Wing it right
After your basketball game, when you go to the bar, you’re not likely to encounter many vegetables. “Unless it’s a stalk of celery in a Bloody Mary,” Bonci says. But you have your keto friends to thank for some better menu options at some bars, like grilled wings, she adds—so you don’t only have the option of breaded ones.
34. Try a different kind of fast food
If you want something to munch on until you get wherever you’re going, skip the fries from the drive-thru and go to a convenience store. While the shelves tend to be chock-full of empty calories, you can find nutritious ones, too, if you know where to look. You can get a pretty satisfying snack—and nutrients to boot—from hard-boiled eggs, string cheese, packets of pickles, and a piece of fruit. A small bottle of milk gets you protein and nutrients for your calories as well. It’s all hand-held, so none of these options is a production to eat.
35. Let packaging help you
A lot of guys think a bag is a serving, Bonci says. And it can be, but you have to choose the right bag. (Even healthy foods can deliver too many calories if you polish off too much of them.) Here’s where the convenience store wins again: “The package sizes are for one person on the go, not for a family of five,” Bonci says. Look for items like nuts in one-ounce packages, and get those small portions of nut butter or peanut butter. “It puts a calorie cap on the snack,” Bonci says.
36. Keep snacks in your car
Don’t get to the grocery store starving. That goes for the bar, a meal, and a convenience store too. To avoid empty-calorie foods that are everywhere in front of you (the office supply store even has candy at the checkout), have something to eat when you’re in a hunger emergency. Little packets of beef jerky or a small bag of nuts can be enough to do the trick.
37. Get your recovery nutrition right
Yeah, that workout was long and hard. Really hard. “Recovery nutrition is important, but think of having a recovery appetizer or a recovery snack, not an entrée,” says Bonci. Even if those foods are nutrient-dense and not empty calories, too much is still too much and it interferes with your health and weight-loss goals.
38. Go easy on yourself
Let’s be honest: Calculating calorie cuts all day can be really stressful and counterproductive—so if you find yourself obsessing over these changes, take a step back, give yourself a break, and consider reaching out to a dietitian for help with your health goals instead.
Marty Munson
Marty Munson, currently the health director of Men’s Health, has been a health editor at properties including Marie Claire, Prevention, Shape and RealAge. She’s also certified as a swim and triathlon coach.
Perri is a New York City-born and -based writer; she holds a bachelor’s in psychology from Columbia University and is also a culinary school graduate of the plant-based Natural Gourmet Institute, which is now the Natural Gourmet Center at the Institute of Culinary Education. Her work has appeared in the New York Post, Men’s Journal, Rolling Stone, Oprah Daily, Insider.com, Architectural Digest, Southern Living, and more. She’s probably seen Dave Matthews Band in your hometown, and she’ll never turn down a bloody mary. Learn more at VeganWhenSober.com.
