Enjoy Italian without busting your belt

Italian food can go either way where your fitness level is concerned. It can be mega nutritious and low in calories, or it can be a belly busting nightmare loaded with calories and fat. Choosing which way you'd like your meal to go isn't a brainteaser, it just requires for you to make the choice and stick with it.

Meat: Choose a lean cut and grill it. Avoid fried versions of chicken Parmesan. .

Vegetables: Italy is renowned for it's incredibly fresh and delicious vegetables, which they like to use quite liberally. You should do the same. Primavera is a term you should become familiar with and use it often when going Italian.

Sauce: The sauce is where lots of folks screw up royally. Think marinara. Marinara sauce is made from tomatoes. Lots are even naturally fat free. Alfredo is bad bad bad. I know that we don't like to put 'labels' on things, but too bad! If you are not specifically creating your own low fat version of the white stuff say the heck away from it. It's made from cream, butter, cheese, and all sorts of things that combine to clog your arteries and stuff your jeans. Sauces with the words oil or butter in them need to stay in the kitchen as well, Hey, it's Italian. Go red!

Pasta: Pasta is undeniably low in fat, and that's a good thing. It's also ridiculously high in calories and that is a bad thing. How to make do? Limit pasta to a scoop on the side of your meal. Never order it as your meal. A dish of pasta could pack over a thousand calories. Ouch! That's like two hours running on the treadmill. A side of pasta could put you back about 200. If you need to have it, go ahead. Just have a little.

Pizza: Mmmmmm. I love pizza. I also love my hips the way they are, so I have it in moderation. Pizza crust is low in fat, but just like pasta...high in calories. Stick to one large slice or two small. Go light on cheese, and pile on the lean meat, marinara and veggie toppings. Majorly nutritious and filling.

Cheese: Do I need to even go here? Sure it is a dairy product, but it's huge on fat and calories If you're cooking Italian at home, use low fat or fat free cheeses. If you're eating out, request that they go light on the cheese or avoid it all together.

Lean meat. Red sauce. Primavera. Viva Italia!