How to cut 400 calories from your burger (2024)

It's burger season! While some people will choose to simply enjoy an occasional calorie splurge without worrying about the consequences, there are many of us who are eager to find ways to indulge without ruining our diet. It's easy to save calories when you're hosting your own cookout; it's a bit harder when you're just a guest at someone else's shindig.

As a sometime grill-master and EatingWell associate food editor, I thought I'd share a few simple, cookout-ready strategies-whether you're a host or a guest-to help you save more than 400 calories from your hamburger bun, patty and toppings while still enjoying all that juicy, beefy flavor.

The Bun
Your average hamburger bun can really up the impact of a burger. Many come packed with 236 "empty" calories in a normal, white-bread bun.
If You're a Guest: Try scooping out the inside of the bun. By doing so, you can reduce your calorie intake by 25%-a savings of about 59 calories!
If You're Hosting: You can save even more calories by swapping in whole-wheat English muffins for your standard hamburger bun. This simple switch will save you 121 calories-and net you an extra 2 grams of fiber to boot!

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The Patty
The problem with many premade burgers is that they're way too big. Many weigh in at a hefty 6 ounces, delivering 11 grams of saturated fat and 460 calories.
If You're a Guest: Cut it in half! By reducing your burger to a healthy 3-ounce portion, you can eliminate 203 calories.
If You're Hosting: By making your own burger patties, you can control how big they are and how lean they are-while still making them taste great! Try making 4-ounce (raw) patties with 90%-lean beef. You'll slash 231 calories and 6 grams of saturated fat.

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The Toppings
As if the burger and bun weren't enough, you can add a ton of calories to your cookout meal by smothering it in condiments. A puddle of sodium-packed ketchup and mustard and a square of fatty cheese add 84 calories. Of course, no one wants to eat a plain, dry burger, so what's the best way to slim down your toppings?
If You're a Guest: If you're a party guest, the quick answer is to go Mexican! Try scooping a tablespoon of guacamole from the bowl on the chips table. You can drop 65 calories and an incredible 517 mg of sodium.
If You're Hosting: Consider offering grilled vegetables like peppers and onions as toppings. They pack tons of delicious flavor and can help save you 72 calories, 585 mg of sodium and a bonus 3 grams of saturated fat.

Total Savings: Your average cookout burger can weigh in at a hefty 780 calories. If you're a guest at a summer picnic and looking to save a few calories, you can scoop the bun, halve your patty and top it with guacamole instead of ketchup and cheese. The result is a lean 453 calories. If you're hosting a cookout, you can take things even further by serving whole-wheat English muffins in place of buns, offering lean 4-ounce patties and swapping standard condiments for healthy grilled veggies. The end result will be only 356 calories-less than half the calories of a standard burger!

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How to cut 400 calories from your burger (2024)

FAQs

How to cut 400 calories from your burger? ›

If You're a Guest: Cut it in half! By reducing your burger to a healthy 3-ounce portion, you can eliminate 203 calories. If You're Hosting: By making your own burger patties, you can control how big they are and how lean they are-while still making them taste great! Try making 4-ounce (raw) patties with 90%-lean beef.

How to cut 400 calories? ›

How to Cut Calories
  1. Swap your snack. Many people reach for a snack or two in between meals. ...
  2. Cut one high-calorie treat. Try to remove one high-calorie food item each day. ...
  3. Do not drink your calories. ...
  4. Skip seconds. ...
  5. Make low calorie substitutions. ...
  6. Ask for a doggie bag. ...
  7. Just say "no" to fried food. ...
  8. Build a thinner pizza.
Jun 22, 2022

How much weight will I lose if I cut 400 calories a day? ›

Key Takeaway: Burning 400 calories a day can help you lose around 0.8 lbs per week. However, you may lose more or less than this depending on things like your starting body weight, body fat percentage, your gender, and how old you are.

Is 400 calories in a meal a lot? ›

A 400 calorie meal may seem restrictive or unfulfilling, but according to experts in the dietetic field, it's actually quite the opposite. In this guide you'll learn why eating three to five small, nutritious meals will help you reach your goals and maintain overall wellness.

How can I cut down to 1000 calories a day? ›

4 steps to slashing 1,000 calories a day
  1. Step 1: Don't waste your liquids. Fancy drinks can pile calories on to you quickly. ...
  2. Step 2: Make exercise a regular habit. I recommend exercising almost every day. ...
  3. Step 3: Go hard or go home. ...
  4. Step 3: Move more.

What burns 400 calories? ›

The following list are easy activities that you can perform on a daily basis to burn off at least 400 calories in one hour.
  • Walking. This is one of the most basic exercises that most anyone can do. ...
  • Lifestyle Alterations. ...
  • Dancing. ...
  • Tennis. ...
  • Circuit Training. ...
  • Interval Training.

Does eating less lose belly fat? ›

Many things can help you lose weight and belly fat, but consuming fewer calories than your body needs for weight maintenance is key ( 49 ). Keeping a food diary or using an online food tracker or app can help monitor your calorie intake. This strategy has been shown to be beneficial for weight loss ( 50 , 51 ).

How to lose 5 pounds in a week? ›

Losing 5 pounds a week comes to reducing your food intake by 3500 calories over seven days. The value that represents the decrease in calorie intake is known as the calorie deficit. If you want to lose 5 pounds in a week, you will need to reduce your food intake by 17,500 calories, which is a huge calorie deficit.

How to lose 10 pounds in a week? ›

To lose 10 pounds in one week, you'll need to burn between 3,500 and 5,000 calories more than you consume each day by restricting your diet to small portions of nutritious yet low-calorie foods, and significantly increasing your aerobic exercise with interval training, sports, and other vigorous activities.

What is the quickest way to lose weight? ›

Cutting back on calories and engaging in regular physical activity may lead to gradual and sustained weight loss. Experts recommend getting at least 150 minutes of exercise per week (or 30 minutes per day five days a week) and eating 500 fewer calories a day to lose up to 1 pound per week.

What snack is 400 calories? ›

The following 400-calorie snacks are options you can enjoy wherever you are, from the vending machine to happy hour, and everywhere in between.
  • Popcorn Party Trail Mix. ...
  • Chocolate-Vanilla Twist Ice Cream.
  • Mediterranean Munchies. ...
  • Brownie Bites + Milk. ...
  • Peanut Butter Break.
  • Cheese Lover's Snack. ...
  • Beer + Nuts At The Bar.
Jan 29, 2015

How long will it take to lose 20 pounds eating 1000 calories a day? ›

To put this into perspective, even a person who eats a measly 1,000 calories per day would need to burn 6,000 calories daily to lose 20 pounds in two weeks. The average person would need to burn the calorie equivalent of running 60 miles per day for 14 days.

How many calories should I eat to lose 2 pounds a week? ›

For example, to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week — a rate that experts consider safe — your food consumption should provide 500 to 1,000 calories less than your total weight-maintenance calories. If you need 2,325 calories a day to maintain your current weight, reduce your daily calories to between 1,325 and 1,825.

Is a 400 calorie deficit a day good? ›

A good rule of thumb for healthy weight loss is a deficit of about 500 calories per day. That should put you on course to lose about 1 pound per week.

Can you survive off 400 calories a day? ›

Generally speaking, men require about 2500 calories and women 2000 calories a day. If you only have 400 calories a day, this may not be sufficient and you could feel dizzy or light headed and have other complications such as vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

How many steps to work off 400 calories? ›

Most people burn 30 to 40 calories for every 1,000 steps they walk. Extrapolated to 10,000 steps, that means they burn between 300 and 400 calories.

Will I lose weight if I cut 500 calories a day? ›

In general, if you cut about 500 calories a day from your usual diet, you may lose about ½ to 1 pound a week. But this can vary depending on your body, how much weight you want to lose, your gender and activity level.

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