I know many of you want to get in shape. I know that one of the hardest parts of getting in shape is the eating part. I also know that it's difficult to stick to a particular diet for any length of time. Well, this issue I'm going to show you how to cut some fat and sugar from your diet by making a few minor changes in the way that you prepare your food. Of course, if you cut some fat or sugar from your diet, it will cut some of the calories. If you cut some of the calories, you'll have less to burn. Although, this is assuming that you are eating regularly and you are not on some unhealthy starvation diet, where you are eating only one meal a day. Let's get smokin'.

TIPS

  1. Spread 1 tablespoon of all-fruit jam on your toast rather than 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter.
  2. Replace 1 cup of whole milk with 1 cup of 2%, 1% or skim milk.
  3. Eat 2 poached or boiled eggs instead of 2 fried eggs. You can also remove one of the yolks when you make fried eggs. If you have to fry eggs, use a non-stick cooking spray.
  4. Replace 1/2 cup of granola with 2 cups of Cheerios.
  5. Instead of using whole milk and eggs to prepare 2 pieces of French toast, use nonfat milk and egg whites.
  6. Snack on an orange and a banana instead of a Snickers bar.
  7. If you like candy bars, try a Three Musketeers candy bar. They normally have less fat than most of the rest.
  8. Replace 1 cup of sweetened applesauce with 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce.
  9. Steam you asparagus rather than sauté it in 1 tablespoon of butter or oil.
  10. Instead of a 5-oz glass of wine, opt for cherry-flavored sparkling water.
  11. Eat a Lender's egg bagel instead of a Sara Lee egg bagel.
  12. Select 1 cup of home-style baked beans instead of an equal serving of baked beans with franks.
  13. Replace 2 biscuits with 2 dinner rolls.
  14. Replace 2 fried-chicken drumsticks with 2 roasted or grilled drumsticks.
  15. Lighten your 2 cups of coffee with 2 tablespoons of evaporated nonfat milk instead of 2 tablespoons of half and half.
  16. Replace a 12 oz can of soda with a 12 oz can of diet soda.
  17. Thicken your cream sauce with 1 percent milk and corn starch instead of a roux of butter and flour.
  18. Use 2 tablespoons of fat-free sour cream instead of regular sour cream (on baked potatoes or in stroganoff). If done twice in a day, 100 calories will be cut.
  19. Reduce the size of your steak from 4 1/2 ounces to 3 ounces.
  20. Snack on the oven baked chips or low-fat chips instead of regular ones.

That's 20 good tips to cut the calories and fat. In a couple of issues, I'll give you another 20 tips to help you on your road to good physical fitness. That's the scoop this issue from Semper Fitness. Stay pumped, stay motivated and OO-RAH!

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