"People don't realise zero fat does not mean zero calories. Low-fat products are only for people who want to reduce the amount of fat in their diet, not lose weight," she explains.

A toast to whole wheat

Whole wheat gives you fewer calories and more nutrition. Nutritionist Aarti Kocchar says whole-wheat products cut your calorie intake by at least 50 calories. "They are also rich in iron, fibre and carbohydrates," she explains. Eat good multigrain bread or whole-wheat English muffins for breakfast.

Green tea is good tea

If you cannot do without your morning cup of tea, opt for green tea. According to Shroff, this can burn up to 70 calories a day as it increases metabolism. "Since you don't need to add sugar or cream, it is a healthy way to start your day," she says. If you are not a tea drinker, drink a cup of coffee to cut your intake by 100 calories.

Don't indulge in dry fruits

Include nuts in your breakfast but have fruits instead of dry fruits the rest of the day. Since dry fruits are so small, we tend to eat more than we should. "Half a cup of dry fruits is equal to two cups of fresh fruit," Replacing dry fruits with fresh fruit not only cuts your calories intake, but also gives you the same amount of nutrition.

Ode to oats

Cornflakes are a popular breakfast option. But Shroff says oatmeal is better. "Cornflakes leave you feeling full but don't give you complete nutrition. Oatmeal on the other hand, increases your metabolism and burns as much as 50-60 calories per day," she says.

H2O, H2O, H2O!!!

Drinking water with your meals. This makes you feel full sooner and you don't overeat. "It also helps wash out additional calories. It aids digestion and so, you won't feel hungry for a while," she says. Drinking water when you feel hungry between meals will control your calorie intake.