Cut Out Fat and Think Thin

If you hate weighing and measuring food and calculating fat grams and calories, you can still eat more healthily, lose weight and maintain that loss. Just follow these tips from "Thin for Life" by Anne M. Fletcher, M.S., R.D. She suggests a gradual approach to reducing fat by tackling one food group per week. Week 1: Fats, oils and sweets. For one or two days, keep track of your fat intake. For the next several days, cut your fat in half. Then, if you can, cut it in half once again. Take three foods you would normally eat with fat and try them without any fat. Try a baked potato with salt, pepper and chives. If it seems too dry, add yogurt or sour cream and chives. In cooking, try cutting the amount of fat you usually use by one-third to a half. If you have a sweet tooth, limit sweets to three small servings this week. Week 2: Meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, nuts. Have two to three small servings per day. A serving is 56 to 84 grams. Have fish or skinless breast of chicken or turkey at least three times this week. Have at least one serving of vegetarian beans mixed with pasta and vegetables or low-fat soup. Week 3: Milk, yogurt and cheese. Have two to three servings from this group each day. If you haven't switched to skimmed milk, mix skimmed with your current milk, gradually increasing the proportion of skimmed till you've gone all the way. Week 4: Fruit. Have at least one fruit serving with each meal. Try at least two less familiar fruits this week, such as a mango or kiwi. Have several types of fresh, cut-up fruit instead of a sweet dessert at least two nights. Week 5: Vegetables. Have at least one vegetable with lunch and two with dinner. Have cucumber coins instead of chips with lunch and a spinach salad and cooked broccoli with dinner. Try at least two less familiar vegetables this week, such as Brussels sprouts or squash. Experiment with various non-fat flavorings such as dillweed on green beans or basil on zucchini. Week 6: Breads, cereals, rice and pasta. Have two servings from this group with each meal. Have high-fiber cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch, and pasta and a slice of bread for supper. Have at least three grain foods you would normally have with fat, and try them without, such as pancakes with syrup but no butter. Have sandwiches with fancy mustard or low-fat mayo.