We all know that if we want to lose weight or increase our muscle mass, we need to be eating a healthy and balanced diet.  Over the years research has shown that we consume far more than the recommended amounts of fat in our daily diet.

I thought I would share some of the fun and simple ways I reduce the amount of fat I consume without depriving my body of the things I love (Nutella!)

  1. Prepare Low-fat salad dressing by mixing balsamic vinegar, olive oil, mustard, and herbs
  2. Drain non-fat yogurt through a sieve overnight in the refrigerator, then use in any recipes that call for cream or cheese
  3. Replace cream with evaporated skim milk when preparing sauces or desserts
  4. Keep olive oil in a spray container to control the amounts used when greasing pans; this is a much healthier alternative to PAM and other cooking sprays
  5. Make your own french fries (or Sweet Potato fries) at home in the oven (do not fry them!)
  6. Substitute egg whites for whole eggs whenever possible
  7. Substitute fresh fruit or fruit smoothies for baked goods
  8. Grill you meats whenever possible to drain maximum amounts of fat during the cooking process (I love the George Forman grill for the Canadian winter)
  9. Substitute applesauce (or any baby-food fruits) for 1/3 of the total oil in any dessert recipe…Strained prunes actually enhance the chocolate flavour in brownies!
  10. AVOID FAST FOOD!!!

If you have any other fun and easy ways we can cut the fat from our diets I would like to hear them and add them to the list!