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by Trevor John

low fat milk; exercise program

1.  Eat Smaller Portions or Leave Some Food

Sure, we’re tempted to “go large” everywhere we look. Not forgetting all the buy-one-get-one-free deals. We’re being slowly and not very subtly super-sized. But you don’t need to follow this. You can always freeze down one of the freebie deals for later. And despite what the restaurant would like, normal size portions are fine as well. And if you can’t resist the temptation of a deal, there’s nothing to say you have to eat everything – just leave some food on the plate. The world won’t end.

2. Exercise More

Walking is fine. It’s perfectly natural and something we’ve been doing ever since we learned how to stand on two feet. Park your car further away in the parking lot and use the extra paces as part of your exercise. Or cut the car out altogether – getting a breath of fresh air whilst making a short journey is a great feeling. In busy cities it may even be quicker to walk or cycle.

3. Cut Down On Sugar

Sugar gets everywhere. You add it to tea or coffee – so you’re in control of cutting that down. But it’s also used as an ingredient in lots of shop bought food. Check the nutrition label if there is one. Or the ingredients list. If neither of these are present – for instance, in most restaurants – don’t be afraid to ask. The fast food chains are used to this and most have nutrition fact sheets readily available in store or on the web. Other restaurants will learn if enough people ask!

4. Stop Drinking Soda

The sugar in soda comprises empty calories. Cut it out. Not by changing to the diet version though – artificial sweeteners are bad news as well. Just cut it out. There are plenty of pleasant alternatives without turning into a total health freak. Sparkling water tastes great, especially with a twist of lemon or lime. Smoothies are good but come with a calorie penalty so don’t binge on them too often. Green and herbal teas are good too. Plus they don’t come with the temptation to add sugar or milk or cream.

5. Don’t Buy Diet Foods Without Carefully Reading The Label

Many diet foods use sugar in one of its many variants to compensate for the loss of “mouth feel” when they cut out fat. Just because something claims to be low or no fat doesn’t mean it’s good for you – most candy is “low fat”, mainly because it’s almost all sugar instead. So read the label carefully and make sure that you recognize near enough everything that’s listed.

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