Calorie restriction does not mean starvation. Even though most people resort to starvation to restrict calories, there are many healthy ways to restrict calories. Calorie restriction, if rightly exercised, offers unmatched health benefits to individuals. It not only helps them lose weight but also helps in living a healthier lifestyle. If you want to restrict your calorie intake, there are a few tips you can follow for doing so:

Chew Your Food Properly

When you eat, be sure to chew your food properly. Chewing your food properly begins the digestion process and prepares your stomach to receive the food. Chewing your food lets you know when you have eaten enough. This keeps you from overeating.

Use Non-Stick Cooking Utensils

Non-stick cookware will enable you to use less oil or butter to cook your food. In addition, you should consider using vegetable sprays to restrict calories in a healthy way. They are a healthier alternative to butter and oil and keep food from sticking to the pan. You can also use butter-flavored vegetable spray for added taste to your food. Oil contains lots of saturated fats and calories that are sure to inhibit weight loss.

Watch Portion Size

The best thing you can do to restrict the number of calories you consume is to eat in small portions. Some people even use smaller plates to avoid eating too much.

Include More Fiber in Your Diet

Fiber keeps you feeling full for longer. This is why you should make it a point to consume fruit smoothies or whole fruits instead of juices. The longer your stomach feels full, the longer you can go without feeling the need to eat, thus controlling your calorie intake. Fiber moves through the digestive tract at a slow rate and helps regulate bowel movements as well.

Increase Your Water Intake

Drinking lots of water has its health benefits. But most people do not realize that water is the ultimate calorie-control substance. If you are feeling hungry, drinks lots of water until you feel full. Since you have consumed so much water, you are less likely to feel hungry. You will eat less and will also remain hydrated.

Extra Tips to Restrict Calories in a Healthy Way

As long as you’re at it, there are many other simple and easy ways to cut back your calories in a healthy way.  Give the following a try:

• Track your calorie intake. Use a web-based program or app to make it easy to restrict calories in a healthy way.
• Hold back your sauces and dressings. A little bit less sauce is likely not going to be noticeable to your taste buds but will make a difference to your daily calorie intake.
• Watch what you drink. It’s easy to accidentally skyrocket your calorie intake by drinking the wrong beverages. Juices, sodas, hot chocolate and many other drinks – even specialty coffees – can contain hundreds of calories.
• Stop adding sugar. If you add sugar to coffee, tea, cereal, grapefruit or most other things, start gradually reducing the amount you add until you’ve become accustomed to going without it!
• Cook from scratch. The less processed and restaurant prepared food you consume, the more likely you are to eat nutrient-dense meals that taste great, too.
• Stop buying junk food. This is especially important when it comes to buying junk food with the intention of eating it later on.  If it’s not in the house, you’re less likely to eat it.  Many times, you eat it because it’s there, not because you want it that much, since you likely won’t make a trip to the store every time you want a snack.
• Use the right plates and forks. Smaller plates, red colored plates and larger forks are shown in studies to naturally reduce the amount you’ll eat.
• Fill half your plate with veggies. Eat a lot more veggies than you used to.  The odds are that you’re not eating enough vegetables.  Veggies are low in calories, high in fiber and nutrients, and are filling.  Use them to fill more of your plate.
• Have a salad or clear broth-based vegetable soup before your meals. Let yourself fill up on those lower calorie, hydrating and higher nutrient density foods before digging into your meals. This will help you to avoid overeating.

If you want to restrict calories effectively without having to starve yourself, you should try these tips. Not only will these tips help you control your calorie intake but they will also boost your digestive system.