How to Choose a Diet Low in Saturated Fat & Cholesterol

Because some fat in your diet is necessary, it's important to incorporate the good fats, or those which are saturated. However, cholesterol should be mostly avoided- but make sure you are still eating the right foods, not just avoiding some because they are have some cholesterol or fat in them.

Instructions

• 1

  Go through your pantry, fridge, freezer, and cabinets, taking out any food that may cause you to go into "food relapse." Some of these may be ice cream, cookies, or chips. Anything that is high in fat or cholesterol needs to go! You may think that it is just wasted money, but really, that food is just junk that is trash for your body.

• 2

  Go to the grocery store and begin to find low-fat and low-cholesterol items that you like and can eat on a regular basis. The majority of your diet should be veggies and fruits as these provide your nutrients and keep you full so you don't get tempted to go for your danger foods. Whole grain pasta, nuts, and low-fat turkey and ground beef are also good foods that keep you full and are healthy.

• 3

  Besides filling your cabinets with healthy foods, there are many things you can do in order to stay on track. Eating a large breakfast, 400 to 600 calories, will keep you full longer. A whole grain waffle with peanut butter, or whole grain cereal or bagels, are good choices.

• 4

  Keeping a food journal with calorie and fat counts helps you stay on track because you have a visual record of what you are eating. For most women, the minimum calorie intake per day is 1200 and for men, it is around 1800. However, this is an estimate and varies depending on the amount of exercise or activity, age, and any relevant health conditions, such as a pregnancy or diabetes. For the most part, you should only eat 20 to 40 grams of fat per day.

• 5

  As with any diet, drinking a lot of water (half your body weight in ounces is a good estimate) and maintaining a regular exercise routine will speed up your dieting efforts. Just 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, is all you need to begin to get fit and stay healthy.