Easy Ways to Cut 200 Calories Everyday!

Staying fit and trim in today's "eat and run" world can be difficult. Between work, kids and keeping the house clean, you may find yourself skipping workouts and waiting in the drive-thru line one too many times. If you are like me, you will start to notice your waist-line creeping up and your pants getting tighter. You then need to stop, rethink your eating habits and look for ways to cut your daily calorie intake.

For us busy women, cutting calories can seem like a nightmare. How will you possibly find one more second in your day to cook healthier, measure out your food, or eat well when the kids are having pizza right in front of you? Below are some simple, yet effective, ways to cut two-hundred calories everyday.

1.) Switch from whole or two-percent milk to skim milk. Use this with your morning cereal, coffee or in baking.

2.) Drink water. One glass of regular soda a day easily adds two hundred extra calories you don't need. Besides, your body will function better and you'll have extra energy without all the additional sugar.

3.) Use Agave Nectar in place of honey, maple syrup and even regular sugar. Besides being lower in calories, this product is low-glycemic index, meaning it won't raise your blood sugar levels as quickly, and will keep you feeling fuller longer.

4.) Skip the mayo on your sandwich at lunch. There are several healthier and lower-calorie substitutes to zest up your lunch, including dozens of mustard flavors from regular yellow to honey lemon-mustard.

5.) In the afternoon, when you crave something sweet or salty from the vending machine, have a back up plan. On Mondays I bring in a bag of fresh fruit to keep in my office kitchen. When I feel the need to munch, I head straight to the refrigerator and grab a plum instead of getting a bag of chips. (This is also significantly cheaper for those of you looking to cut calories and dollars).

6.) Lastly, watch portion sizes, especially with high calorie foods. Most restaurants over serve; when their nutritional chart says something is two-hundred calories, you are likely being served more than the measured amount. If you find yourself still hungry after the portioned amount, opt to finish with some fresh fruit and water.