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 by: Jim O'Neill

If you are one of the millions of people who ever tried to lose weight, then you know how hard it can seem to actually accomplish this goal. With countless numbers of diet plans out there promising fantastic weight loss results and all the hype about the thousands of "miracle" weight loss pills, powders and drinks, it's no wonder weight loss can seem to be quite the challenge. Wouldn't it be nice if there were a way to be able to start to slim down without having to completely change everything about the way you eat and/or relying on diet fads and gimmicks? Well, read on and you will see that by just making some small changes, you can make some big strides in your effort to lose weight.

As a rule, we all know that too much fat in the diet is one of the major culprits in causing overweight problems in people. While that means fat intake should be cut down, it does not mean it can't be replaced with some better choices that pack fewer calories. For example, take the mayo off the sandwich and replace it with mustard. You cut off 100 calories per serving, all from fat, and replace it with zero calories per serving with no fat at all. Use fat-free cheese instead of regular cheese. Again, you will be replacing 45 calories per slice at 40 calories from fat with 30 fat-free calories. The sandwich is still the same size, but you cut over 115 extra calories off of it.

EAT MORE BREAD

If you eat more bread, you are increasing your carbohydrates and eating less fat as well. In one study, a small increase of bread in the diet led to a 4% decrease of fat consumed. Depending on your overall calorie needs daily, this could mean you'll be eating more carbohydrates per day, but it is the reduction of fat and the overall reduction of calories that make you start to lose weight. The right balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in the proper calorie range determine energy levels and whether you'll lose weight and maintain a healthy body weight.

EAT MORE VEGETABLES

These foods are great sources of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and are also low in calories and high in fiber. These foods are filling, nutritious and great for people trying to lose weight. When your parents used to say "make sure you eat all of your vegetables" they were right.

EAT MORE FRUIT

Just like vegetables, fruit is high in vitamins, minerals and fiber. Also, fruit is naturally sweet and can satisfy the need for bad sweets, like candy. Try to replace desserts and snacks such as cake and ice cream with fruit at least half of the time and it will make a huge difference.

EAT MORE FISH AND CHICKEN

Eating fish and chicken more often than red meat will reduce the amount of saturated fat in your diet. Too much saturated fat in the diet has been shown to cause atherosclerosis (artery blockage) which leads to heart problems and eventual failure. Skinless chicken breast and most fish are very lean and only contain small amounts of fat, not enough to worry about. When you eat fish, besides lowering your fat intake, you also increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids which has been shown to promote a healthy heart. Fish is the best source of omega-3 fatty acids and you don't have to eat fish every day to get a good benefit from it.

USE CANOLA AND OLIVE OILS

These oils are good sources of monounsaturated fat which is the best kind of fat because this kind of fat increases the good cholesterol (HDL) in your body and lowers the bad cholesterol (LDL).

Sometimes it may seem to be a long road to weight loss but the length of the road is not nearly as important as how smooth the road is. By making small, gradual changes to your eating habits, you will find your road can be smooth as well.