Today, public enemy number one in diets is fat.
Just walk into any supermarket, and you'll be bombarded with products that are low-fat, reduced-fat, or fat-free.
Even fast food restaurants proudly advertise their menu items as having 0% trans fat.
But knocking the fat out of your diet is more complicated than simply eating junk food with lower amounts of fat.
Here are some tips to guide you: 1.
Cut heavy sauces and dressings from your food.
There are tons of substitutes for sauces and dressing that are loaded with fat.
Choose a light vinaigrette dressing rather than heavier French or Ranch dressing.
Substitute a low-fat yogurt for mayonnaise.
And if you absolutely, positively must eat gravy with certain meats, just add enough to flavor your food-rather than drown it.
Too often we make healthy foods unhealthy by dousing them with stuff that has more fat than a hog.
2.
Choose lean meats and smaller portions.
Did you know that health experts suggest that you only eat red meat two or three times monthly? Besides limiting or eliminating the amount of red meat that you eat, also consider the fat content of the meat.
Cuts of meat should have just enough fat to provide some flavor-but not give you a coronary in the process.
And forget about super-sized portions when preparing meat.
Your stomach is only about the size of your fist! 3.
Eat fresh fruit for dessert.
If you want to satisfy your sweet tooth, add fresh fruit to your meals.
While Western desserts can certainly be tasty, too often they're loaded with fat and calories.
Sure, you could have a smaller slice of pie of cake for dessert, but the rich ingredients will entice you to have a bigger piece or another piece.
Fresh fruit without milk, cream, or sugar is a tasty and healthy way to top off the perfect meal.
4.
Choose dairy products that are low-fat or no-fat.
Regular dairy products are high in saturated fat-which is one of the "bad" types of fats that you should avoid.
In fact, while dairy products are high in calcium, a better source of calcium is dark green veggies.
But if you must have dairy products, choose ones that are either low-fat or no-fat.
And definitely stay away from cottage cheese, cream cheese, and other items that are loaded with fat! 5.
Avoid fried foods.
Instead of frying foods, bake, boil, grill, steam, or broil them.
You could stir-fry your veggies, but it's crucial to do it right.
Use a minimum amount of oil, cook at a high heat, and stop cooking the veggies once they're Al dente (half-cooked).
Too often we basically negate any nutritional value that veggies or meats would typically have, by frying them.
As a general rule, avoid fried foods like the plague.
There are simply too many other healthy alternatives for preparing your meals.
6.
Add more herbs and spices to your food.
After you start eating healthier foods, you'll lose your cravings for fat-laden foods.
One way to add some spice to your meals is to-well, add spices and herbs.
These tips can help you to start reducing "bad" fat in your diet.
The less of it you eat, the less you'll weigh!