It may not sound much of a saving, but if you shave just 100 calories each day of the year off your usual daily intake, this adds up to a whopping 36,500 calories over the course of the year.
Assuming as the British Dietetic Association tell us, that to lose a pound of body fat requires a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories, then this will mean you can burn off over 10 pounds of body fat in the year, with this small dietary adjustment.
Take a look at the first of my 'Drop A 100 Calories-A-Day' series. If your body mass index (BMI*) suggests that you have some weight to lose, take a quick look. You may find one or two that can help.
One
Swap
Classic Magnum 110ml = 244kcal
For
Choc Ice 70ml = 126kcal
SAVES 118 calories
Two
Swap
150g French fries = 506kcal
For
200g oven chips = 290kcal
SAVES 120 calories
Three
Swap
2 dessertspoons of olive / sunflower / other oil =180kcal
For
1 teaspoon olive / sunflower / other oil = 45kcal
SAVES 135 calories
Four
Swap
3 Digestive biscuits = 213kcal
For
1 x 120g banana = 106kcal
SAVES 107 calories
Five
Swap
175g Greek yoghurt = 232kcal
For
175g low fat or 2% fat Greek yoghurt = 127kcal
SAVES 105 calories
Six
Swap
200g Baked potato with 15g butter and 40g grated cheddar = 481kcal
For
200g baked potato with 5g butter, 40g reduced fat cheddar and a big salad lettuce and cucumber salad = 380kcal
SAVES 101 calories
Seven
Swap
250g meat topped pizza = 540kcal
For
250g Margherita pizza = 490kcal
SAVES 150 calories
Eight
Swap
Swap 200g cooked spaghetti with 150g Bolognese sauce = 532kcal
For
200g cooked spaghetti with 150g Neopolitan tomato sauce and a tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese = 411kcal
SAVES 121 calories
Nine
Swap
A blueberry muffin = 298kcal
For
Half a scone with a teaspoon of jam and 10g whipped cream = 162kcal
SAVES 136 calories
Ten
Swap
200g egg fried rice = 368kcal
For
180g long grain boiled rice = 259kcal
SAVES 109kcal
* BMI
Here is what the NHS Choices website www.nhs.co.uk tells us about Body Mass Index.
What is the body mass index (BMI)?
The body mass index (BMI) is a measure that uses your height and weight to work out if your weight is healthy.
The BMI calculation divides an adult's weight in kilograms by their height in metres squared. For example, A BMI of 25 means 25kg/m2.
BMI ranges
For most adults, an ideal BMI is in the 18.5 to 24.9 range.
For children and young people aged 2 to 18, the BMI calculation takes into account age and gender as well as height and weight. If you want to calculate your BMI, try our healthy weight calculator
If your BMI is:
•below 18.5 – you're in the underweight range
•between 18.5 and 24.9 – you're in the healthy weight range
•between 25 and 29.9 – you're in the overweight range
•between 30 and 39.9 – you're in the obese range
Accuracy of BMI
BMI takes into account natural variations in body shape, giving a healthy weight range for a particular height.
As well as measuring your BMI, healthcare professionals may take other factors into account when assessing if you're a healthy weight. Muscle is much denser than fat, so very muscular people, such as heavyweight boxers, weight trainers and athletes, may be a healthy weight even though their BMI is classed as obese.