How to Reduce Fat in Your Diet

Reducing fat in your diet doesn't mean you will face a life of tasteless dry meals and fat-free cookie boxes in your cupboards. Whether you need to lose weight or just trim the fat, the following steps will help you achieve your dietary goals.

Instructions

1

Decrease or eliminate animal products that are high in fat. This includes red meat, poultry and some dairy products, such as whole milk, cream and butter. If you do eat meat, choose the leanest cuts of meat, poultry and fish available.

2

Check healthy cookbooks for tasty new recipe ideas.

3

Increase the amount of fresh vegetables and fruit in your diet. Eat them raw whenever possible.

4

Change your method of cooking. Broil, bake, steam or poach rather than fry.

5

Use vegetable cooking sprays rather than fat or oils when you cook.

6

Select low-fat or nonfat alternatives when they're available. Choose nonfat yogurt over regular, for example.

7

Eat low-fat cheese and drink skim milk.

8

Remove the skin from chicken or turkey.

9

Reduce the amount of nuts, nut butters and olives that you eat. All are high in fat.

10

Snack on fresh fruit, chips that are baked rather than fried, or air-popped popcorn.

11

Watch labels. Low-calorie does not always mean low-fat.