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1,500-Calorie, Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Ideas

Staying with a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet is easy if you eat the basics, graze throughout the day and make it interesting. Develop special 1,500-calorie meal plans, drink plenty of water and increase the amount of exercise you do to see a healthier you in no time.

  1. Natural Foods

    • Go back to basics by purchasing foods that come from nature rather than industry. Shop the outer aisles of the grocery store to select fresh fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and lean meats. Purchase organic foods if your budget allows to reduce the amount of toxins in your food.

      Grab jars of unsalted, whole pasteurized nuts for snacks. Try purchasing or making salsas with fresh tomatoes, lemon juice and garlic. Create homemade salad dressing using light olive oil, red wine vinegar and lemon.

      Replace table salt with herbs and spices. You can make your own flavor enhancer by mixing a variety of spices in a small container.

    Small, Frequent Meals

    • Maintain blood sugar levels throughout the day by reducing the amount of food you eat at one sitting. Graze on whole foods throughout the day, consuming approximately 350 to 400 calories for each meal and 100 to 150 calories for each snack.

      Eat a cup of steel-cut oatmeal with a half-cup of blueberries for breakfast, followed by a small apple for your morning snack. For lunch, enjoy a spinach salad sprinkled with ground flaxseeds, tomatoes and red onions, topped with red wine vinegar and olive oil. For an afternoon snack, have a small handful of natural, unsalted almonds. A sample dinner is 3 ounces of grilled chicken, two cups of mixed steamed vegetables, a small salad and a piece of fruit. Have a light snack before bed, such as low-fat yogurt or string cheese.

      Don't forget to hydrate your body throughout the day. Replace soda and alcohol with water, green tea or sparkling water.

    Cholesterol-Lowering Foods

    • Reduce your cholesterol by stocking your refrigerator and pantry with items such as oat bran, fatty fish, walnuts and oatmeal. Eat more foods with sterols and stanols. Many plants--fruits, vegetable, seeds and nuts--contain these substances.

      Have fun introducing new vegetables into your diet. Cook vegetables different ways to avoid boredom. For example, if you don't want to steam vegetables, try roasting them. Wash and cut your favorite vegetable, toss it in an oven-safe roasting pan lightly coated with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and bake at 375 for approximately 15 minutes.

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