By Dr. Joey Shulman

Losing weight does not have to be a difficult, laborious process. In fact, you can shed excess pounds simply by making more educated dietary choices. Becoming an informed shopper can be a powerful line of defense when cutting calories and excess carbohydrates out of your diet. In addition to the foolproof tips below, refer to Food Trakker—our on-line calorie, fat, protein and carbohydrate counter that will give you information on thousands of food items.

Cutting Calories

Instead of ice cream…
We all know the saying, “a moment on your lips, forever on your hips!” Unfortunately, although deliciously creamy and always good for special occasion indulgences, ice cream is chock full of calories that quickly increase your total caloric intake for the day. For example, one scoop of premium ice cream has 250 to 300 calories and a half-day's worth of saturated fat. To get that creamy, sweet taste that ice cream provides, why not switch to healthier options such as frozen yogurt or regular yogurt? The calories in frozen yogurt and yogurt are:

• ½ cup of frozen yogurt = 160 calories
• ½ cup of lowfat yogurt = 145 calories
• ½ cup of nonfat yogurt = 100 calories
• 5 oz. of lowfat plain yogurt = 100 calories

Instead of a hamburger…
Eating lean red meat on occasion (i.e. 1-2 times per week) can be a good source of protein and iron. However, too many red meat selections can cause deleterious effects on health. Red meat is high in saturated fat which, when eaten in excess, can clog up your arteries. With today’s shift towards healthier eating, most grocery stores and fast food outlets now offer veggie burgers as a healthier option that are typically less in calories and fat. Consider the difference:

1 Hamburger patty	Veggie burger
300 calories	119 calories
10g of fat	2.2g of fat
5g of saturated fat	0.2g of saturated fat

In addition to veggie burgers, when eating red meat, purchase lean red meat.

Instead of French-fries…
Deep-fried foods such as French fries, onion rings and doughnuts can cause excess fat and calories to accumulate in no time. For starters, if you do choose to order French fries, avoid the super-sized order and opt for the small. For example, a McDonalds large French fries has 540 calories and 26 grams of fat (5 grams of saturated fat in addition to trans fatty acids), while a McDonalds small French fries has 210 calories and 10 grams fat (2 grams of saturated fat in addition to trans fatty acids).

Most fast food restaurants now offer salads as healthier options. Try having a salad on the side instead of deep fried foods. The low glycemic index vegetables in a salad are full of minerals, vitamin A and fiber that help win the battle against the bulge.

Cutting carbs

Instead of bagels…
Bagels can spike your daily carbohydrate intake without you even being aware. Depending on the density, the average bagel contains approximately 25-45 grams of carbohydrates. To cut carbs and still have some grain in your diet, start making your sandwiches on whole grain or whole wheat wraps. The average wrap contains anywhere from 10-15 grams of carbohydrate. Whole grain wraps such as those made out of kamut or spelt grain are available at most health food stores while whole wheat wraps are available at all grocery stores. Make sure to include a protein (i.e. turkey, chicken, soy, lowfat cheese or eggs) in your wrap along with some fat (avocado slices, nuts or seeds) for a balanced meal.  In addition, visit the Truestar metabolic booster plan or the Truestar continuum weight loss plan to design thousands of personalized meal plans just for you!

Instead of a plate of pasta…
For starters, eating a plate of refined pasta alone is not a great idea. White flour is processed the same way white sugar is in the body. In other words, both white flour and sugar are broken down into glucose (sugar) for the body to use as fuel. Because these food items have a higher glycemic index rating, they will enter the bloodstream in a rushing speed and trigger the over-secretion of the hormone insulin from the pancreas. In short, too much insulin results in fat storage.

Instead of eliminating pasta all together, it is important to follow the top four pasta rules for weight loss:

1. Only eat whole grain pasta such as kamut or spelt. Alternatively, try protein-enriched pasta found in most health food stores and some grocery stores.

2. If eating pasta, ensure that you combine it with a protein selection (chicken, fish, turkey, lean beef, soy) and a healthy fat (olive oil).

3. Never make pasta your entire meal – have it as a side dish.

4. Cook your pasta al dente (slightly undercooked and firm). By doing so, you will lower the glycemic index of the pasta.

Instead of cereal…
A majority of morning cereals are loaded with sugar and refined flours that send blood sugar levels soaring. In addition, a cereal-filled breakfast is mostly made up of carbohydrates, leaving little room for other necessary macronutrients such as proteins and fats. Often, a meal made up of only carbohydrates will result in feelings of fatigue, cravings, fogginess and hunger. Instead of cereal, start your day with one a Truestar energy shake that provides the perfect amount of protein, carbohydrates and fat to keep your energy up and your weight down.

Take home point
Remember: knowledge is power. Become an informed shopper so you can take charge of battling the bulge in your own home!