Calorie counting

Some diets involve calorie counting -- figuring out the number of calories in each food item you eat, then adding up the total at the end of the day. This method shows:

* How quickly calories add up
* Where most of your calories come from
* What time of day you tend to eat the largest amount

This can be valuable information, particularly when you first start your weight loss program. The method allows you to make adjustments to your food consumption on a particular day or over time.

Counting calories, however, quickly becomes tedious, and it does not necessarily train you to eat a healthy balance of foods. It is easy to become obsessed with the numbers and forget that the point is to eat healthily and vary your foods.

Eat less, or eat healthy?

Obviously, you can reduce calories simply by eating less. For example, if you usually eat french fries with lunch, order a smaller portion or throw some of them out. Although in theory this method should help you lose weight, it is not the healthiest or most successful.

First of all, you are not eating a balanced, nutritious diet, nor are you lowering your risk for chronic conditions like Diabetes and heart disease. Furthermore, people who simply try to eat less, rather than changing food types, tend to get hungrier faster and snack more in between meals.

Instead, replace unhealthy and fattening foods with healthier alternatives -- eat the same amount of food as before but eat lower-calorie foods with a healthier balance of nutrients. Using the example above, you would replace the french fries with a baked potato, carrots, an apple, or another healthier and lower-calorie food. Again, you are eating fewer calories, but you are also filling your stomach and adding variety to your diet.

Hints for eating nutritious foods

* Choose fresh fruits and vegetables over canned or processed foods. Food often loses its natural vitamins and minerals during processing. Fresh food is also more flavorful, so you will feel more satisfied.

* Lower your fat intake by eating a plant-based diet. Animal products tend to be higher in saturated fat (and therefore calories) than most plant products.

* Choose products (like breads and pasta) with whole grains over those with white flour. These have more fiber, are more likely to fill you up, and are more nutritious. The fiber may even help lower your cholesterol.

* Allow yourself an occasional treat, so you don't feel deprived. It can be easier to change your habits if you know you can still have your favorite dessert or snack once in awhile.

* Eat fish instead of meat. Fish is a healthy, lean protein. Also, it contains a type of fat called "omega-3," which may help protect the heart.

Empty calories

Some foods are especially bad for weight loss. Foods that contain a high number of calories without providing important nutrients are referred to as "empty calories." Sugary snacks and soda, for example, can dramatically increase the number of calories you consume without providing any nutritional value. They should be consumed only in small quantities.

One step at a time

Changing eating patterns can be extremely difficult. Food plays so many roles in our lives, and we've formed our eating habits over many years. It may be easier to make one food substitution at a time -- for example, switch from whole milk to skim milk, then eliminate butter from your diet. Once again, gradual progress is the key to successful weight loss and maintenance.

Since most Americans eat too much fat and sugar (both of which contribute to weight gain), replacing these with whole grains, fruits, and vegetables should lower your intake of calories and provide rich sources of vitamins and minerals at the same time. Also, protein should come from low-fat sources like fish, beans, chicken, and soy.

计算卡路里

有时候吃东西的同时可以计算食物的卡路里，计算你吃的每种食物的卡路里，然后再总计一天累积的卡路里。以下就是方法：

卡路里多久积累起来的

你吃的食物里那种卡路里最高

你什么时候吃的最多

以上信息对你来说十分重要，尤其是当你刚开始准备你的减肥计划。这个方法目的在于调整你的饮食量，可以是一天或者好几天。

然而，总是计算食物的卡路里的话很快会让你感觉厌倦，而且也容易导致营养失调。一味地注重卡路里，很容易忽略健康饮食也很重要。

是吃得尽量少，还是吃得健康？

显然，要降低吸收的卡路里，就必须要少吃。比如，如果你中午常常吃薯条，那么就点份小包薯条或者剩下一些。尽管理论上来说这个方法应该对减肥有效，可是这不是最健康或者最有效的。

首先，你的营养不均衡，而且你增加了患慢性疾病的风险，比如糖尿病和心脏病。而且，人们往往只是单纯地尝试少吃，却不改变食物的类型，总爱吃很容易产生饥饿感的快餐。

我们应该避免吃既不健康又容易发胖的食物，取而代之，我们该吃健康的食物。在食物的量不变的前提下，吃些热量较低的，同时营养均衡的食物。我们举个例子，你可以用烤马铃薯，胡萝卜，一个苹果来替代薯条；或者其他较健康，较低热量的食物。这样一来，你既不用吸收高热量，而且可以填饱你的胃，也可以自己的食谱增加种类。

推荐的营养食物

 选择新鲜的水果和蔬菜，尽量不吃罐装或加工过的食物。食物往往在加工的过程中流失维生素和矿物质。而且新鲜的食物更加美味，吃了也会很精神。

摄入植物类的食物也可以减少对脂肪的吸收。动物食品中的饱和脂肪（也就是卡路里）比起大多植物类食物过高。

 选择那些含谷物的食物（比如面包和意大利面），尽量不吃面粉类食物。因为谷类类含有大量纤维，更容易有饱腹感，而且更有营养。而且可以降低胆固醇。

允许自己偶然放纵一次，这样你才不会觉得被剥夺了什么。如果你仍然保持在一段时间里品尝一次你最爱的甜点或者快餐，那么会比较容易改变你的饮食习惯。

多吃鱼，少吃肉。因为鱼富含蛋白质，是很健康的食物。除此之外，它还含有一种叫做“欧米茄-3”的脂肪，可以保护心脏。

无营养卡路里

一些食物特别不适合减肥人士。这些食物含有高卡路里却缺乏营养，因此被称之为“无营养卡路里”。比如，甜味小吃和苏打水可以飞快地增加卡路里，却不能提供给身体任何有价值的营养元素。更可怕的是，它们仅有很少一部分可以被人体代谢。

一步步来

民以食为天，我们的饮食习惯是花了那么多年养成的，要改还真不容易。我们来介绍一种可以以一种食物替代另一种食物的方法，比如，爱喝牛奶的朋友，可以用脱脂牛奶替代全脂牛奶，把黄油拉进你菜单的黑名单。这个渐进的过程是迈向成功减肥的关键。

多数美国人之所以这么胖是因为摄入太多脂肪和糖（这些都是导致增重的罪魁祸首）。现在多是含谷物的食物，多吃水果，蔬菜应该可以降低卡路里的摄入，并且提供丰富的维生素和矿物质。我们应该从低脂肪含量的食物中摄取蛋白质，比如鱼，豆，鸡和大豆。