Weight Loss Quick Tips

• Don't Make a Sugar-Free Snafu
  Despite what you may think, the special section of sugar-free treats for diabetics at your local supermarket isn't exactly a dieter's dream. These specially-made sugar-free sweets like cookies or snack bars often contain nearly as many calories as their "normal" counterparts on the regular food aisles. Same goes with reduced-fat, "diet" cookies like Snackwells... just because they have less fat than other cookies doesn't mean they don't have calories galore. Calories count, no matter how "diet-friendly" you think what you're eating is!

• "Clucker" vs. Burger
  Sure, chicken is a smarter choice over burgers, but not so good an alternative if the chicken you choose is battered and fried. That burger just might start looking healthy when compared to a greasy fried chicken patty! In fact, many fast food chains' fried chicken sandwiches have as much (or more) fat than a regular hamburger. Your best choice is always to go with a grilled or baked chicken sandwich whenever possible; add fresh veggies like lots of tomato and lettuce to make your sandwich more nutritious and filling.

• Be Choosey About Chicken Toppers
  Your next chicken choice pitfall is what you put on top of that sandwich. Mustard is a great fat-free alternative to mayonnaise, which is very high in fat. Be sure to watch out for those mysterious "special sauces" some fast food chains automatically slather on your sandwich. For example, Kentucky Fried Chicken has a roasted chicken sandwich, but the sauce is so fat-laden it literally triples the fat content! The KFC Web site tells us that the healthy-sounding Tender Roast Sandwich with sauce is a whopping 15 grams of fat and 350 calories. Skip the sauce, but have the sandwich, and you'll only be taking in 5 grams of fat. You'll save about 80 calories, too.

• Put that Tupperware Collection to Use
  Does a fridge full of leftovers spell diet d-i-s-a-s-t-e-r for you? When you get the after-work or midnight munchies, you're going to be a lot more likely to overeat if you haven't planned for portion control ahead of time. We know how difficult it is to keep moderation in mind when you sit down in front of an entire bucket of chicken or a seemingly bottomless bowl of macaroni and cheese! Trick yourself into eating a streamlined portion by pre-packing your individual leftover dishes into single-serving size plasticware. You can even get the divided, covered plastic plates and portion-out an entire meal ahead of time. You'll feel far more in control of your eating this way.

• Are You Nuts for "Diet" Peanut Butter?
  Well, the truth is, the reduced-fat variety is really not all that different nutritionally from the regular kind. According to Jif, a two-tablespoon serving of their regular creamy peanut butter is comprised of 16 grams of fat and 190 calories. Let's take a look at the label of the reduced-fat version of creamy Jif: You're getting four less grams of fat for the same size serving -- 12 grams of fat for those two tablespoons -- but guess what? It has the same amount of calories as the regular kind, 190! So, don'tcha go "nuts" and clean out the jar just because the reduced-fat kind has a few less fat grams packed in there!

• Have the Cheesecake!
  Did you do a double-take on that one? Don't worry, it wasn't a misprint. In fact, feel free to replace the word cheesecake with your most favorite treat and then... give in. Just a little, that is. By allowing yourself to still eat your favorite foods every now and again -- despite being on a diet -- you avoid feeling deprived. Totally denying yourself the foods you take pleasure in is a sure-fire way to set yourself up for failure. So go ahead and treat yourself once in a while. Just be sure to apply the mindful moderation principle: Cut your normal portion in half and truly savor every bite. Eventually, a much smaller portion of your favorite "guilty pleasures" will satisfy your cravings.

Go to Part 2 of Weight Loss Quick Tips

This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not imply the approval or recommendation by Weightloss.ms .  Always consult a medical professional before significantly modifying your diet or beginning an exercise program.