That's Fit

Can't decide whether to go low-carb or low-fat? While you mull it over, take a peek at these 10 foods -- they can serve as staples for either diet.

• Asparagus It's low-carb and low-fat.
  
• Zucchini A low-cal, low-carb veggie.
  
• Tomatoes Eat them as is or use in sauces, soups, or sliced on salads.
• Broth & Stock Soup Use as a base for soups, stews, and sauces.
• Wine One four-ounce serving is correlated with good health.
• Game Meats Think venison and elk -- healthy substitutes for beef -- and you'll get some lean protein.
• Berries A good choice for satisfying a sweet craving. High in vitamins and antioxidants too.
• Dark Greens & Lettuces They add volume to a meal without calorie overload.
• Salmon It's fatty, but its omega-3 fatty acids make it healthy. Full of protein too.
• Chicken & Turkey Both are low-fat and excellent sources of protein. Organic is best.

When I was a kid, there was no question that a big glass of milk was a healthy choice. Today, however, there's a pretty decent debate about milk. (Just do a search for anti dairy... you'll see what I mean.) There are environmental and ethical implications in dairy farming and many just feel that milk from a cow isn't healthy for humans.

Personally, both my son and I drink milk. Not the three glasses a day some organizations would have you drink, but we each probably have one small glass a day. However, I'm a believer that you don't have to have dairy to get your necessary nutrients. When it comes to milk, though, my son and I drink low-fat, white milk. I'm just not a fan of the added sugar in chocolate milk. Some varieties of chocolate milk can add up to 18 grams of sugar. (Though I do let my son have chocolate milk as a special treat now and then.)

RealAge expert John La Puma, MD, author of ChefMD's Big Book of Culinary Medicine, says it makes sense that beans have the power to knock off a few pounds. They are full of fiber, full of protein, and low in fat. This means they'll keep you fuller longer and will make only a small dent in your calorie intake.

Not sure which beans to eat? Dark beans are best because they have the most antioxidants. Top antioxidant content, in order, is as follows: black, red, brown, yellow, and white.

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of chicken Caesar salads? OK, we know they are delicious, so how about the second thing? Yep, I think fattening, too. In fact, Martha's research found almost 1,000 calories and 76 grams of fat in a chicken Caesar salad. Yikes!

You don't have to omit the yummy Caesar, with its creamy dressing and zingy flavor from your menu, though. Why not try this 269-calorie and 10 grams of fat Caesar instead? With a few simple substitutions for the traditional ingredients, you've got a healthy salad you can eat anytime.

Silken tofu makes the creamy dressing, with lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and anchovy; you won't be sacrificing flavor! And this recipe still includes the shaved parmesan cheese. Start cooking and enjoy your guilt-free Caesar salad ... yum!

Oprah arrived in my mailbox the other day. Well, Oprah's face arrived. On the cover of her June magazine. Looking all fresh and happy and feel-good-like. Which is why I like The Oprah Magazine. It makes me feel good. And I always end up learning a few healthy somethings after flipping through the pages. Which makes me feel empowered to feel even better.

Today, I learned that I should probably just buy regular foods at the grocery store. Nothing low-fat, nothing low-sugar. Low-fat peanut butter is often stocked with extra sugar and salt, says The Way To Eat guru Dr. Katz. Reduced-sugar cereals -- just bought a box with 25 percent less sugar the day before my magazine arrived -- tend to house more saturated fat and less fiber than standard versions. Bummer. There's a trend, says Katz: Highly processed products are being marketed as easier or more healthful alternatives when really, they are not.

Go with foods in their most natural state, says the good doctor. If your diet is healthful and is based mostly on veggies, fruits, whole grains, seeds, beans, lean protein sources, and nonfat dairy, then there's room for a bit of sugar or fat or perhaps some extra cream in a special recipe. Trying to decide whether to go for real whipped cream or Cool Whip? Katz says go for the real thing. The alternative, which will save you only 25 calories, is full of air, high fructose corn syrup, emulsifiers, and artificial flavorings.

I think I need to head to my favorite Mexican restaurant, a place I typically avoid because I just can't stop myself from inhaling chips and salsa. Maybe if I stick with Mexican cheeses, beans, soups, tomato-based sauces, and meats I'll be OK, though. I may even prevent breast cancer from paying me a return visit.

A tradition Mexican diet may help prevent breast cancer, says a study of hundreds of women living in the Four Corners region (Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona). Hey, low fat diets and moderate consumption of red wine are credited for warding off heart disease. Why not Mexican food and breast cancer?

Researchers happened upon their study after noting lower rates of breast cancer among Hispanic women. They looked at diets such as the Native Mexican diet, the Western diet, the Mediterranean diet, and low-fat diets. The lowest risk of breast cancer turned up among those who closely followed the Mexican and Mediterranean diets.

This isn't a one-size-fits-all diet, though. To read more about the folks who benefit most -- like premenopausal women with a BMI of less than 25 -- read more here.

Incidentally, the diet associated with the highest risk of breast cancer, regardless of menopausal status is the Western diet.

My kids and I are headed to the grocery store in search a few items: Low-fat yogurt, blackberries, and granola. We're going to put these ingredients together -- first the yogurt, then the berries, then the granola, then mix -- and make ourselves a scrumptious blackberry treat.

It was four-year-old Danny's idea we make this healthy snack. His teachers told him about it, put a recipe in his cubby, and empowered him to take charge. That's exactly what he's doing. And so I'll let him take the lead when we're hunting the aisles for our three items, and I'll assign him the role of head chef once we're home and ready to cook. I'm sure seven-year-old Joey will have his hands in the mix too, which is just what I want -- all of us engaged in a purposeful, healthy endeavor.

For those who wish to join us in making this nutritious combo, here's the official recipe: Put in yogurt. Add one spoonful of blackberries (or other berries if you'd like). Add one spoonful of granola. Eat.

Nothing hard about this one.

There are a number of ways to drop some pounds, many of which require a change to your current diet. We know that extreme, crash diets don't work, so avoiding them altogether is a smart move. That leaves the more sensible approach: eating foods that are lower in calories, fat, and simple carbs.

This can either mean a dramatic change to what your current food intake consists of, or it can be a more subtle effort. The former usually involves eating skinless chicken breast, healthy fish, copious amounts of vegetables, and so on. Clearly, this is the healthiest and most effective way to get the job done. But, not everyone wants to deviate from their current diets to this degree. The latter, however, requires that a person change their current diet slightly, but enough to make consistent, noticeable change to their health. Will it work as fast as the more hardcore approach? Probably not. But will you stick to it? Most people will.

To help the casual dieter along, WebMD has compiled a list of the 17 Best Foods For Dieters. Nowhere on this list will you find measured portions of buckwheat or protein supplement shakes. Instead, what you'll find are a list of lower-calorie and lower-fat options of foods you may already be eating. Over time, this reduction in calories and fat will help you get closer and closer to your goal weight.

It's always such a bummer to get home from work or the gym and realize you don't have anything ready for dinner. You're already hungry, and you don't have the energy to put together a complicated meal, so what do you do? Call for a pizza? Eat a PB&J or two? Run out to a fast food restaurant?

No, no no! Not only are these choices detrimental to any weight-loss (or maintenance) goals you might have -- they're also not smart choices for heart health. Here are seven alternatives from MSN that are quick, easy, and best of all, heart-smart.

Fall is a bit of a dieting disaster for me -- there's Thanksgiving, Halloween and the birthdays of several people close to me, mine included. So when turning down dessert isn't on the agenda, what's a girl to do? Well, offer to make dessert and use a healthy recipe. eDiets has four great recipes:

• Low-fat pumpkin cheesecake
• Pecan rice pudding
• Baked apples
• Low fat mocha almond pie

Sound yummy? Check out the recipes here. And if you have any healthy fall dessert, please do tell!

I try to stay away from dairy, especially milk. It's been linked to breast cancer and since I've already had the disease, I tend to stray from anything even remotely associated with it. That's not to say dairy is all bad, though. In fact, it seems eating more calcium-rich dairy food may help in the battle of the bulge.

Study findings are preliminary but here's what they suggest: Dairy appears to reduce fat absorption. After overweight study participants ate meals containing either a high or medium amount of low-fat yogurt and milk, their blood-fat levels were 15 to 19 percent lower than those who ate only a small amount of dairy. Interestingly, results remained consistent even when the low-dairy eaters added a calcium supplement.

If you dare to consume dairy, you've got research backing your decision. For true weight loss results, though, make sure it comes straight from the cow.

I don't know what it is that makes some people crave one kind of food and others another but it seems like the most common craving culprits are anything salty or anything sweet. I know lots of people who will ruin their diet for potato chip, popcorn and cheezies, while I've always had to battle my love for all things sugary including the two main groups -- foods with frosting and foods with chocolate.

Cookies are one of the hardest sweet treats for me to avoid so I've been searching out some healthier recipes and found a site with an entire page dedicated to healthy cookies recipes. The three that I'm looking forward to trying are the Sugarless Heart Cookies, which look good for anyone on a low-sugar diet, the Low Fat Peanut Butter Cookies because they sound tasty with the added benefit of protein and, perhaps the most delicious-looking find, the recipe for Low Fat Triple Chocolate Cake Bars.

Have you got a sweet tooth but are on a diet? Have you got any low-fat, low-calorie or sugar-free recipes to share?

Eating too much fat is dangerous to our health, but did you know that eating too little fat is dangerous too? There are several nutrients that our bodies find difficult to absorb without a bit of fat in our diets, including:

• Astaxanthin: Found in seafood; helps protect your skin and heart
• Beta Carotene: Found in many orange fruits and veggies, as well as greens
  
• Lutein: Found in egg yolks and spinach; can help your eyes and skin
• Lycopene: Found in tomatoes and water melon; prevents cancer
• Vitamin E: Found in spinach and broccoli; protects your heart
  
• Vitamin K: Found in many veggies; helps your blood clot normally
  
• Zeaxanthin: Found in corn and egg yolks; helps protect your retinas.

So, while it's important to moderate the fat you eat, it's important not to cut fat out of your diet completely.