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Limit yourself to no more than two servings of red meat
per week.
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Make sure that no more than a quarter of your calories
comes from fat.
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Cook your own meals at home and avoid eating at restaurants
as much as possible.
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Eat six to eleven servings of complex carbohydrates
(fruits and whole grain breads, pasta and cereals), but
avoid white flour when possible.
-
Don't go crazy on the protein. Too much doesn't add
muscle, contrary to popular belief. It just turns to fat.
-
Boycott mayonnaise and butter (or margarine). Get them
out of your refrigerator. Learn to live without them.
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Don't be afraid to try low or reduced fat versions of
your favorite foods. You may actually like them better
when you don't feel guilty eating them.
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Stay away from energy bars, which imply that they will
transform you into a fit person. Most of them are loaded
with calories.
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Make your own smoothies. Those made commercially usually
contain fattening syrups, but your home-made smoothies
(without the gunk) are very healthy.
-
Use all the garlic, oregano, etc. that you want. Eating
healthy doesn't mean you can't pack your food with flavor.
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Pack a sandwich made with whole-grain bread for lunch.
Breads with high fiber make you feel fuller than white
bread.
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Get at least 25 grams of fiber every day. Not only does
it ward off disease, but it actually blocks the absorption
of calories.
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Don't be fooled by "fat free" labels. Many of these foods
contain a lot of sugar, which eventually turns into fat
anyway.
-
Don't fall into the "it's okay to eat chicken" trap.
The Crispy Chicken and Filet o' Fish sandwiches at McDonalds
each contain more than twice the fat of a McDonald's hamburger.
If you need whipped cream, whip up chilled evaporated
skim milk - your creation will contain only half a gram
of fat per cup.
-
Use extra water
in hot cereals to reduce the amount of milk and butter
you use.
-
Use seasoned rice
vinegar on salads and veggies. It tastes similar to oil
and vinegar, but is is fat-free and has very few calories.
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Cook rice in a
mixture of half water, half fruit juice to give it subtle
flavor without butter and salt.
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Use freshly ground
nutmeg or another seasoning instead of salt.
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Substitute pureed
tofu for two thirds of the butter in cake and cookie recipes.
This will cut out 43 grams of saturated fat.
