7 Ways to Lose Weight
We've all heard the story about a friend who dropped 15-20 pounds by giving
up one food or drink. In truth, it's easy to recognize your guilty pleasures,
but most of us overlook the obvious sources of fat and calories in our diets.
Are you looking the other way?
Seven Foods to Reconsider
If giving up one of the following foods guaranteed a weight loss of 15 pounds
by the end of the month, could you abstain?
1. Cola: It's no secret that regular cola is laden with sugar,
but diet soda has a dark side, too. Every can consumed daily nearly
doubles your risk of being overweight. If it's carbonation you crave, try
club soda with a touch of lime or pomegranate juice for flavor. If it's caffeine
you need, try quenching your thirst with sugar-free iced tea.
2. Bread: This dietary staple lost favor in the heyday of low-carb
plans like the Atkins Diet,
but many experts say it's an important source of fiber. Look for high-fiber
multigrain breads or, for low-carb dieters, check your grocer's shelves for
diet-specific varieties.
3. Coffee: How do you take it?
It has its perks, but loaded with cream and sugar, your morning pick-me-up
could have more calories than a McDonald's cheeseburger. If you can't drink it
black, try fat-free milk to keep your
calories in check. Need a vanilla latte? Ask for the sugar-free flavoring --
it's often available.
4. Cheese: In your eggs. On your sandwich. In your salad. If
you're not measuring what you're tossing in your favorite dishes, you're heading
for diet disaster. Lighten it up. For a must-have fix, try cheese cubes or
sticks. You can buy them precut and packaged to limit your intake. With its
low
glycemic index, that little protein snack in the afternoon could tide you
over 'til dinnertime.
5. Butter: Ah, there's nothing like the sound of that sizzle.
That's bubbling of
unhealthy trans fats that you hear. Consider fat-free cooking sprays for
buttery taste without the fat.
6. Chocolate: Who can resist that rich cocoa flavor? Sure,
recent studies have shown the darker the chocolate, the healthier your heart --
but it doesn't do anything for your posterior package. Put the cravings to rest
with pointers from this
chocoholic's survival guide.
7. Alcohol: Everbody's got a vice, but some are worse than
others. An average margarita has more than 300 calories, or three times the
calories in a small glass of wine. Make a toast to
low-cal cocktails before the holidays and you'll avoid damage control in the
new year.