Eating low in calories: tips that really work in everyday life
Imagine this: you come home in the evening, the fridge is full – and yet you reach for the ready meal with 800 calories. Not out of laziness, but because you simply have no idea what you could prepare quickly and with few calories. Astonishingly many people in Switzerland feel this way. According to the Swiss Health Survey 2022, around 43 % of the adult population are overweight or obese (FSO – Federal Statistical Office). The good news: eating low in calories need be neither complicated nor tasteless.
If you prefer structured guidance, the Herbalife 21 Day Challenge Complete offers a practical way into more mindful eating. For more advanced users who already have experience with calorie reduction, the 21 Day Challenge Power offers a more intensive variant with additional protein support.
Why counting calories alone is not enough
What many people underestimate: it is not the calorie count alone that decides success or failure, but the energy density of the food. A plate of vegetable soup with 150 kcal can leave you considerably more satisfied than a small chocolate bar with the same 150 kcal. The WHO and the EFSA therefore recommend preferring foods with a low energy density – that is, those with plenty of volume but few calories (EFSA).
The FOPH's 7th Swiss Nutrition Report shows a clear pattern: we eat too much sugar and fat, but too few vegetables and fruit (FOPH). The real problem, then, is not that we eat too much – but that we eat the wrong things.
The Swiss Society for Nutrition (SGE) gives a daily energy requirement of 1,800 to 2,500 kcal as guidance, depending on your activity level. Anyone who wants to eat low in calories does not have to fall radically below this value – but to distribute it more cleverly.
Five strategies for eating low in calories without feeling hungry
Use protein deliberately
Protein fills you up more than carbohydrates or fat. A study by Leidy et al. (2015, published in Advances in Nutrition) shows that a protein intake of 1.2 to 1.6 g per kilogram of body weight promotes satiety and at the same time supports the maintenance of fat-free muscle mass during a calorie-reduced phase. In practice that means: build a protein source into every meal. A Herbalife Formula 1 Shake in vanilla provides around 220 kcal per serving (prepared with milk), for instance, and contains high-quality soya protein and essential vitamins – a simple way of replacing a more calorie-rich meal.
Fibre as an underestimated filler
30 grams a day. That is how much fibre the SGE recommends (sge-ssn.ch). The reality looks different – most people in Switzerland do not reach this figure. Yet high-fibre foods are typically low in calories and keep you full for a long time:
- Pulses such as lentils or chickpeas – versatile and surprisingly cheap
- Vegetables in any form, raw, steamed or as a soup
- Wholegrain products instead of white flour versions
- Berries as a low-calorie snack with a high fibre content
Rethinking breakfast
Many people start the day with a croissant and jam – tasty, but calorie-rich and hardly filling. A high-protein, high-fibre Herbalife breakfast can make the difference here. The Perfect Breakfast pack combines a shake with tea and an aloe vera drink – so you start the morning with few calories but enough nutrients.
Drinks: the quiet source of calories
A caramel latte here, an iced tea there. Liquid calories add up faster than most people suspect. The SGE recommends 1 to 2 litres of fluid a day, preferably unsweetened. Water before meals can even reduce calorie intake.
If you need variety, the Herbalife Herbal Tea Original is a low-calorie alternative with only around 6 kcal per serving. That sounds almost too little to be worth mentioning – but that is exactly the point.
Shaping portion sizes consciously
Smaller plates, eating more slowly, planning meals in advance. It sounds banal, but it works. Anyone who plans meals in advance reaches for calorie-rich emergency fixes less often. Through the actionsanté programme, the FOPH also promotes voluntary industry-level measures to reduce calories in products (bag.admin.ch).
What most people get wrong when eating low in calories
The biggest mistake? Eating too little. Anyone who lowers their calorie intake too drastically risks cravings, muscle loss and a slowed metabolism. The body is not a machine you can simply turn down. A moderate reduction of 300 to 500 kcal below your daily requirement is considered a sustainably sensible range.
Another stumbling block: monotony. Anyone who eats the same salad every day gives up after two weeks. Variety is not a luxury, but a precondition. Information on Herbalife nutrition can give you ideas on how to make your meals varied and rich in nutrients.
Eating low in calories means eating mindfully
A low-calorie diet is not a programme of going without. It is about choosing the right foods – ones that fill you up, nourish you and taste good. Anyone who combines protein, fibre and enough fluid will find that hunger is rarely the problem. Habits are.
If you would like to take the first step – whether with a more mindful breakfast or a structured change of diet – it is worth looking at the available options. Discover our products on myherbal.ch and find the support that fits your day.