Sunday, October 19, 2008

Can I Still Eat Bread and Cheese in a Calories Loss Meal?

By Rowena French

Breads and grains have endured a poor reputation in diet programs of late but it has been good to see a return to common sense where weight loss menus again accommodate servings of these foods. Although too much of these foods does not assist with a calories loss diet, we can eat some bread and grain foods and still lose weight. Bread is often best included in our menu in one sliced open or traditional closed sandwiches or even as a low calorie snack.

Grains are found in a range of delicious foods that include those eaten for breakfast. Easy to prepare and low in calories are cereals containing whole grain and only a little sugar. A slice of whole grain toast is also low in calories and filled with essential fiber. Limit your breakfast to one slice of toast if you your menu is focusing on calories loss.

Many low calorie meals can contain brown rice and the instant variety of this is quick to prepare, especially with fresh or frozen vegetables and lean meat like chicken breasts. Try this for dinner and a pita bread wrap containing salad, hummus or even slices of turkey for lunch. Pita bread contain no more than 200 calories per slice and can take on a different flavour when it is toasted and eaten as chips with a low calorie dip.

At the start to each day your body needs energy that will last so oatmeal is an excellent breakfast food especially during winter. A mountain of pasta for lunch will not help your calories loss menu, however a small serving can be accommodated. Make this the side dish and your protein and salad or vegetables the main part of this meal.

Potato chips are high in calories and should be replaced by other healthier alternatives like whole grain crackers and cheese. These, along with rice cakes, one of the best diet snack foods, can increase your calories loss when they take the pace of salty, fatty, high calorie chips. If rice cakes seem too bland, add tasty low calorie toppings.

Some dairy products are packaged in ways that make them excellent food for dieters! 2% milk, low calorie margarine, low calorie cheese and yogurt are core foods to include in a calories loss menu so make sure that you stock up on as much of this as your refrigerator can hold. Low calorie cheeses and yogurt are often packaged in perfect sizes for a snack and you can calculate the portions of these foods to assist with your calories loss.

The inclusion of yogurt in your low calorie diet has many benefits. Even in its low calorie form, yogurt provides for our essential intake of calcium and a small serving as a snack or dessert does not contain an excessive number of calories. Its worth buying as much yogurt as you can at before its expiry date!

Pre-packaged, low calorie meals often containing high quality ingredients including dairy and grain foods come frozen and are easy to store in your refrigerator. They are popular meals at work and at home and because they require little preparation and advertise their calorie content they are easy to include in a calories loss menu. Other frozen food including vegetables and fruit are suitable for low calorie snacks or dessert they too can contribute to your planned weight loss. - 15438

About the Author: