Beat Diet Downfalls

Provided by Prevention.com

Junk Food Junkies

The trick to slimming down with junk food is to avoid eating the whole bag. You can get instant portion control by buying single-serving sizes of chips, sugary cereals, or candy bars.

Also choose "healthier" junk foods: flavored oatmeal instead of sugary cereals, a burrito instead of a hot dog, or toasted pita crisps and hummus instead of chips and dip.

Avoid starting your day with a doughnut or pastry, though. These sugary treats can leave you feeling hungry again very quickly. If you must have one, at least pair your goodie with a healthy food such as an apple to help you ward off the munchies later on.

Menu Here, we give you the luxury of enjoying both sweet- and salty-tasting junk foods throughout the day.

Breakfast 1/2 grapefruit 1 cup oatmeal 1/2 cup 1 percent milk

For a few extra calories, try bananas and cream, French vanilla, or other "junkier" flavored oatmeal.

Lunch Turkey sandwich: 2 slices whole grain bread 2 oz turkey breast 1 Tbsp light mayonnaise 1/2 tomato, sliced Romaine lettuce 1/2 cup corn chips

Baked varieties of chips won't save you any calories if you eat a big bag of them.

Dinner 2 beef burritos, frozen 1/2 cup corn kernels mixed with 1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper

Microwave and eat one burrito at a time. After the first, you may decide not to go back for seconds.

Snack 1 jelly doughnut 1 cup 1 percent milk

Smaller doesn't always mean better. One creme-filled doughnut has fewer calories than four doughnut holes.

Total: 1,560 calories; 52 g fat

Dessert-aholics

You can satisfy your sweet tooth with fewer calories if you make the right choices. Most fruits and some vegetables are naturally sweet, so take advantage of these low-calorie treasures.

Rich fruits such as mango and banana are especially thick and creamy, while grapes and strawberries can be frozen for a snack that lasts longer and tastes sweeter, says former Prevention Food Editor Regina Ragone, RD. Other foods such as yogurt, jams, some light cheeses, and foods spiced with cinnamon or vanilla extract, can add instant pleasure to a meal.

But the decadent sweets you also crave--chocolate, cheesecake, ice cream--have their place in weight loss too. If you keep portions reasonable, you can have 100-200 calories of dessert every day, says McQuillan.

Menu You can indulge your sweet tooth at every meal. Since most of these foods are naturally sweet, you won't be going overboard on sugar.

Breakfast 6 oz orange juice 1/2 toasted cinnamon raisin English muffin topped with 2 Tbsp reduced-fat ricotta cheese

An English muffin packs fewer calories than a plain bagel, and it tastes sweeter because it has more sugar.
Lunch Peanut butter and jelly sandwich: 2 slices whole wheat bread 2 Tbsp peanut butter 1/4 cup jam 1/2 cup carrot-raisin salad

This yummy classic offers just the right mix of carbohydrates, protein, and fat, so you'll stay full for hours.

Dinner 1 roasted chicken drumstick 1 baked sweet potato topped with 1/3 cup crushed pineapple packed in juice 1 cup steamed broccoli topped with 1 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese 1 Chocolate Indulgence

Canned fruits are a great way to add flavor and are more nutritious than honey or brown sugar.

Snack 1 cup low-fat fruit yogurt

For more satisfaction, toss in some berries.

Total: 1,644 calories; 45 g fat

PREVIOUS: Diets for Meat and Potato Fans and Fast Food Lovers
NEXT: Tips for Take-Out Queens

More from Prevention:

• De-Bloat Your Belly
• Catch Up on Sleep
• Buy Flat Belly Diet

Rodale

Lose up to 12 pounds of unwanted fat in just 14 days! Try the complete program free for 21 days!

• Buy "2-Week Total Body Turnaround"