25 Slim Eating Tips

This article is meant for those who haven't got the opportunity to read it in a local magazine. These tips are said to work and are easy to do - making the right food choices can help you lost those unwanted inches for good! So, lets put these simple tips into practice and see what a little effort on your part can do for a lifetime! I also believe that not everyone can follow all of these tips as a whole, but let's just try to go for those which are best suited to each of us individuals...........

Here comes the 25 slim eating tips.........

1. Never grocery shop on an empty stomach. You'll be tempted to buy foods you don't need because everything books delicious. If you don't have time for a proper meal before hitting the supermarket, eat a piece of fruit and drink a large glass of water.
2. Write out a shopping list of foods for the particular meals you have planned. This will help you go directly to the aisles you need to go to, instead of aimlessly venturing around, which may make you more prone to pick items you don't need.
3. Buy tuna or other canned fish packed in water rather than oil. Choose fresh fruit over canned fruit in heavy syrup, as the sugar adds empty calories.
4. Choose low-fat or skimmed dairy products. You'll get the same amount of calcium and protein as full cream, but with considerably less fat and cholesterol.
5. Compare the nutrition value of different brands by reading the food label on the packages. More than 3g of total fat for every 100 calories is considered high-fat. Saturated fat should be less than 1g for every 100 calories.
6. Fill an attractive bowl or basket with fruits that don't need to be cut to eat - pears, plums, apples, bananas, grapes, etc. They not only make an attractive centrepiece on your dining table but they're also a good way to make sure you eat fruit daily.
7. Leave the salt shaker in the kitchen. This will stop you from mindlessly adding more salt to your meal when at the table.
8. Trim off all visible fat from meat and remove skin from poultry. Too lazy to do it yourself? Ask your butcher at the market to do it for you. They'll definitely oblige.
9. Don't feel guilty about not finishing your food once you're full. Serve yourself a little at a time, adding more if you feel you need it.
10. Experiment with different ways of cooking, such as grilling, roasting, stewing, steaming or boiling. The less oil you use the better!
11. Appetiser foods are notoriously drenched in oil. Try this: Shell medium-sized prawns (leave the tail) and steam until cooked. Serve with a zesty dip, such as Thai Cili or Lemon Sauce.
12. Include high-fibre foods at every meal to keep you full. Choose from whole wheat breads, crackers, brown rice, cereals, fruits and vegetables. Throw in a handful of beans into your curries, stir-fries, stews and soups.
13. Cut out even more fat from soups, stews and curries by refrigerating them, and then removing the layer of congealed fat at the top before reheating.
14. Have your cake and eat it too! Here's a recipe for a yummy low-calorie, fat-free cake: [Sorry...... I'll put up the recipe in my next blog]
15. Recreate the flavour of deep-fried foods by coating chicken/seafood with breadcrumbs (seasoned with pepper, salt and spices). Place on a baking tray and pop it into the oven (180 degree celcius for at least 10 mins) until meat is well browned.
16. Nifty substitutions can dramatically reduce the fat and cholesterol content of your cake recipes, without comprising on taste: (a) 1 whole egg = 2 egg whites (b) 1 cup whole milk = 1 cup low-fat/skimmed milk (c) 1 cup sour cream or buttermilk = 1 cup low-fat plain yoghurt
17. You don't need butter to make rich, moist cakes. The secret lies in fruits. Substitute the butter in your recipe with any one of these: 1 cup butter/margarine = 1 cup apple sauce/mashed bananas/pureed prunes. (To make pureed prunes, blend pitted prunes until fine.)
18. Concoct your own high-fibre energy snack by combining a cup of whole wheat breakfast cereal, half cup nuts, half cup sunflower seeds, half cup raisins and half cup dried apricots. Keep in a jar at the office or in a Ziploc bag to stash in your handbag.
19. Never go to a buffet party famished. Have a light, healthy snack before going. When you get there, fix yourself a small plate and do your socialising away from the food table.
20. Too exhausted to cook? Don't succumb to filling your hunger with junky snack foods as you flop in front of the TV. Keep canned foods and frozen mixed vegetables handy as they can be made into a complete meal in a jiffy. While the rice is cooking, saute sliced onions in a skillet. Add a can of sardines and some drained pineapple cubes for a zesty sweet and sour flavour. Stir-fry frozen mixed vegetables with button mushrooms - and voila, a complete, nutritious meal in under 20 minutes!
21. Eat a light breakfast before going to work. You won't be tempted to buy nasi lemak or head down to the mamak stall for a roti canai near the office. Breakfast needn't be elaborate -- 2 slices of toast with jam/cheese, 1 small bowl of cereal with milk or a carton of fruit yoghurt. If you're rushing out the door, grab 2 slices of bread or some Digestive biscuits and a small packet of low-fat milk to eat on the go.
22. Don't drive yourself nuts by weighing yourself everyday. Body weight fluctuates between 1 to 2 kilos throughout the day. You may be heavier several days before your period due to water retention. Experts recommend you weigh in once a fortnight -- without any clothes, first thing in the morning after using the bathroom before breakfast.
23. Walk whenever you can. Park your car a little further from your destination or take the stairs instead of the lift. Have a business meeting to attend? Take a five-minute brisk walk around the office block of the person you're scheduled to meet. By the end of the day, after seeing about six clients, you would have completed a 30-minute workout.
24. Doing housework is a great way to burn off calories. An average-sized woman can burn about 200 calories just by doing household chores with a little vigour. So, the next time someone asks you if you exercised today, you can smugly say, 'Yes! And I cleaned the house, too. What about you?"
25. Being dehydrated is an energy-zapper. Make sure you drink at least 2 litres of water each day. Keep bottled water handy - in the car, on your office desk and your bedside table. Drink a large glass of water before a meal to fill you up. Water has zero calories.