Reduce fat

People are becoming more health conscious these days, which is why, it is quite common to see a person working out rigorously, or following a low-fat diet to lose weight. In order to lose weight, it is important to reduce fat in your daily diet and ensure that you get adequate exercise. There are some people who reduce fat, not to lose weight in particular, but to remain healthy and avoid the risks of high cholesterol and other heart diseases. However, contrary to the common belief, when you reduce fat in your diet, it does not imply that you need to eat meals that are tasteless, boring, dry or excessively bland. Given below are some helpful tips to help you reduce fat from your daily diet and still enjoy your meals:

• Scan the labels of all food products carefully, before buying anything.
  People assume that foods which are labeled “Low-calorie” are automatically low-fat. However, that is not always the case.
• Cut down on foods like fried chips and popcorn. Opt for foods like fresh fruits and baked chips instead.
• Decrease the quantity of nuts and their products as well as olives in your diet. These foods are quite high in fat.
• Poultry meats like chicken and turkey are healthy food options, but only as long as their skin is removed.
• Dairy products are important for the body, as they contain calcium. However, instead of consuming whole milk products, which are usually high in calories and fat, you can replace them with skim milk, low-fat cheese, nonfat yogurt and other fat-free dairy products.
• Cream and hard cheeses are high in fat and are not as healthy as Edam, Gouda or cottage cheese.
• Most types of cooking oils are very high in fat and should be replaced with vegetable cooking sprays.
• A lot of calories and fat can be eliminated from your diet, if you make a few alterations to your method of cooking. Methods like broiling, baking, steaming, poaching or roasting could be used, in lieu of frying.
• Fresh fruits and vegetables are usually very high in nutrition, yet low in calories. The amount of fresh fruits and raw vegetables should be increased considerably in your diet. The best way to do that is by ensuring that you eat either a fruit or vegetables with every meal. For example, breakfast could consist of one or two fruits, mixed with some yogurt and lunch and dinner should begin with a fresh garden salad.
• Most forms of animal products are very high in fat and therefore should be decreased or preferably eliminated from your diet. Red meats are usually very fattening and can be replaced with fish.
• Most varieties of dessert like puddings, ice creams or cakes are very high in sugar and have a high fat content. Therefore, it is a lot better to munch on some fresh fruit to satisfy your sweet cravings.
• Salad dressings like mayonnaise and salad cream are very high in fat. However, you can make your own healthy dressings by combining various ingredients such as lemon juice, vinegar, spices, herbs and yogurt. You could also make French dressing, with lemon juice, mustard, garlic, cider vinegar and olive oil.
• While making sandwiches, spread butter or margarine on one slice only. If the filling is moist, like a mayonnaise-based tuna or chicken salad, then you may not even need to add any butter to your sandwiches.

While it is a good idea to reduce fat from your diet, you should not eliminate it completely, as some amount of fat is absolutely essential. The forms of fat that are good for you are polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, found in plant sources like olives and peanuts. Before making any major changes to your diet, it is best for you to consult a physician or a professional dietician.