15 Quick Diet Tips

Written by Sky Taylor, Diet Bites

Snack Time Tips

For snack time, enjoy a healthy Dairy Food Group and Vegetable Food Group serving by filling 1 stalk of celery with 1 serving of whipped cream cheese mixed with any of the following: crushed pineapple, sliced strawberries, dried cranberries - or any dried fruits, green or black olives or pimentos.

Using whipped cream cheese slashes calories and fat content; adding fruit to the cream cheese offers a bit of healthy benefits from the Fruit Food Group.

#2 - Another excellent, low calorie quick snack consists of 2 cups of raw baby spinach plus 1 Tablespoon of dried cranberries plus 1 serving of light raspberry salad dressing.

Quick Tips for Saving Kcals in Homemade Pies\

#3- When making homemade pies, opting for fruit over cream pies generally equals less calories - and definitely a healthier pie.

Opting for sugar-free canned fruit can save additional calories related to sugar and other high-calorie sweeteners.

#4- When using bought pie crusts, bring the crust to room temperature. Remove the crust from the pan and roll as thin as possible.

Aim to make two crusts from one thick crust, thus saving ½ the calories related to the pie crust.

As a note, the pie crust contains a good bulk of calories, about 100 - 200 calories per serving, crust only. Calories vary depending upon brand used, so another great Quick Diet Trick is to check those labels.

Trimming Down Taco Kcals

#5- When fast-food dining Mexican-style, opt for the plain tacos. The shell provides a serving from the Grain Food Group; the filling provides a serving from the Protein Food Group, and the salad provides a serving from the Vegetable Food Group.

Most fast-food tacos contain 150-200 calories. Be sure to choose the tacos served in corn shells over flour shells as the flour shells tend to contain about 100 - 150 calories per small shell in comparison to the corn shell which contains about 50 calories per shell.

Tips, Fats in the Diet

#6- When preparing personal recipe favorites, opt for mashed fruit over oil.

Options include: bananas, applesauce, peaches, pears, prunes, and strawberries. Oil contains about 120 calories per Tablespoon; opting for fruit saves a ton of calories and of course - fat grams.

Another healthy benefit stems from the fruit servings over the fat serving.

Saving Kcals: Dairy

#7 - Opt for skim dairy products over the full-blown. Skim dairy products also contain more calcium benefits per serving.

#8 - Save calories and cholesterol by using egg substitute over eggs.

#9 - Limit cheese and opt for reduced fat versions to save fat grams and calories.

Dieting Tips: During the Holidays

#10- Celebration foods tends to be steep in calories, particularly when it comes to the dessert table. Wedding cake, birthday cake, spirits, stuffing, sauces, gravies, butter, hot rolls, pies, cookies, candy - oh my!

Opting for foods closest to their natural state is a great rule of thumb as they'll generally contain fewer calories and fat grams.

#11 - A quick diet trick for a lower calorie punch is as follows: 1 container of pineapple sherbet plus 2 liters of diet lemon-lime soda. Lime sherbet also works very well. Or, pair orange sherbet with diet orange soda.

#12- To make a lower calorie cranberry sauce for the holidays, prepare fresh cranberries as you normally would and rather than adding sugar, add Splenda and grated orange peel.

Canned cranberry sauce contains about 600 calories for a small can - or about 100 calories per 1/6th of a can which equals a serving size. The bulk of calories is contained in the sugar content as cranberries are naturally low in calories.

#13 - Pies that stick to the thighs include: pecan pie, cheese pie (cheesecake), mincemeat pie, raisin pie, sugar pies.

#14- For a quick holiday peppermint pie, mix 1 small container of reduced calorie, reduced fat topping with 1 teaspoon of peppermint extract. Pour into a pre-baked pie crust that has been cooled.

Place pie into the freezer until set before serving. Rolling out the thinnest pie crust possible also saves calories and fat grams.

#15- For a quick holiday eggnog pie, mix 1 small container of reduced calorie, reduced fat topping with 1/2 cup of eggnog flavored creamer.

Pour into a pre-baked pie crust that has been cooled. Place pie into the freezer until set before serving. Rolling out the thinnest pie crust possible also saves calories and fat grams.

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