Low-Fat, Low-Carb Meal Ideas

If you want to drop weight fast, consider a low-carb, low-fat diet. Low-carb diets kick-start weight loss. However, many foods considered to be low in carbohydrates are loaded with fat, ultimately derailing weight-loss efforts. Select low-sugar, low-fat foods such as vegetables, lean meats and low-fat dairy to reach your weight-loss goals. Check the fat and carbohydrate labels if you purchase prepackaged items. Aim to eat less than 40g of carbs and 50g of fat per day.

Low-Fat, Low-Carb Foods

• To limit your intake of both fat and carbs, eat fresh green vegetables with almost every meal. Broccoli, asparagus and spinach have extremely low counts of carbohydrates, fat and calories. Other low-carb, low-fat vegetables include tomatoes, peppers, lettuces, mushrooms, kale, collard greens, squash and zucchini.

  In the dairy family, chose low-fat skim milk, yogurt and cheese. Most skinless, boneless chicken breasts are not only carb-free, but also fat-free. Cut fat and carbs in your dressings and condiments by using sugar-free, low-fat salad dressings. Instead of oil, use low-fat butter spray. Avoid mayonnaise and cream-based mustards altogether.

  Items to avoid completely include white bread, pasta, rice and obvious offenders such as cookies, chips and cake. Carb and fat cutting also means avoiding most breakfast cereals and even low-carb energy bars because many are high in fat.

Meal Ideas

• A typical day on a low-fat, low-carb diet begins with an egg and a piece of turkey bacon for breakfast. As another option, try a whey protein shake. Combine a scoop of whey protein powder with low-fat skim milk in a blender.

  A mid-morning snack could be 1 cup of non-fat, sugar-free yogurt, 1 cup of low-fat cottage cheese, sugar-free hard candy or 1 cup of tomato juice.

  For lunch, have a spinach salad topped with tomatoes, lemon-and-vinegar dressing and a light sprinkle of bacon bits. Or try a small turkey wrap. Pile spinach, onion, arugula, fat-free cheese and turkey on a large lettuce leaf. Roll the sandwich and secure with a toothpick.

  Around 3:00 p.m., reach for a snack of low-fat string cheese and celery or carrot sticks.

  For dinner, enjoy a 3-oz. piece of skinless grilled chicken along with 2 cups of mixed vegetables. You can eat a main course of other grilled meat, such as fish, turkey or a small steak. End your day with a sugar-free, low-fat fudge pop.

Low-Fat, Low-Carb Recipes

• Delicious recipes in the low-fat, low-carb kitchen include gazpacho and cauliflower mashed potatoes.

  Gazpacho is an easy cold soup you can enjoy on a hot summer day and have on hand in your refrigerator for a quick meal. Simply combine cucumbers, tomatoes, red peppers and a red onion in a food processor. Mix with white wine vinegar, minced garlic, kosher salt, pepper and tomato juice.

  Enjoy low-carb, low-fat mashed potatoes with dinner tonight using cauliflower instead of potatoes. Steam cauliflower and combine with fat-free butter spray, 1 oz. skim milk, a dash of salt and pepper. Mash the same way you would prepare mashed potatoes.