Eating a low fat diet

If you want to drop weight and get healthy, then one of the best things you can do for yourself is eat a low fat diet. It's an especially good idea now, with spring and swimsuit season approaching, to reconsider what you're eating and when, as not only can you have positive health effects, but you can improve yourself aesthetically as well.

And the good news is that eating a low fat diet is actually pretty easy. You have to avoid things like dairy, red meat, and desserts of all kinds. So eating a low fat diet does mean you'll have to give up some of the tasty treats we all love, but improved physical and mental health are a more than ample payoff for such sacrifices.

So here's some advice on how to eat a low fat diet.

First, clear out your refrigerator and pantry. Get rid of all the stuff that is high in fat, but more importantly, get rid of the stuff that's high in transfats and saturated fats. Believe it or not there are some fats (like Omega 3 fatty acids) that are good for your health. However, transfats and saturated fats are anything but. So go through your foodstores with a fine-toothed comb and get rid of anything that doesn't fit the bill for your new low fat diet.

Once you've finished clearing out the ice cream and cookies, it's time to restock your pantry and fridge with healthy ingredients. This means fresh fruits and vegetables, bread that's not made with high fructose corn syrup, and a focus on whole grains like quinoa or oats.

Another good bit of advice is to cut back on your servings of meat. Even low-fat meats like chicken or fish are higher in fat than vegetables, and a nice three bean soup, or brown rice and lentils, can be just as hearty and filling as any sort of meat.

You'll also want to drink plenty of liquids, namely water. Proper hydration maintains kidney function, and it's your kidneys that process all the junk out of your system. Even when eating a low fat diet, you'll be taking in waste that your kidneys need to dispose of. So give them all the help they need and drink plenty of water every day. Also, this has the added benefit of filling you up a bit so you'll eat less in the first place.