Best diet strategies: we found the smartest tips and tricks for weight loss and healthy eating right here at home

Shape, Nov, 2004

Reading through the country's foremost active-lifestyle magazine for women, you'd assume that a glazed doughnut would never pass the lips of any of the Shape editors, right? If only. The truth is, the Shape staff of health, nutrition, fashion, beauty and fitness experts face the same daily dieting dilemmas you do. Food temptations abound in our offices, from a certain editor's always-filled candy bowl to a vending machine that's stocked with chips, chocolate and soda. And that doesn't include all the yummy recipes we have to taste test to ensure they are Shape-worthy for these pages.

Like most American women, we juggle careers, family and commitments. Which means that some days we have trouble getting enough fruits, vegetables and fiber. Fortunately, we do know how to get back on track. Here, then, are some of our best--and easiest--tips for helping you cut calories, trim fat and raise the nutrient quotient of what you eat.

* Don't allow the bread/breadsticks/crackers/chips basket anywhere near your table in restaurants!

--Sharon Cohen, contributing editor

* I give myself permission to indulge on the weekends, when I'm doing things like going out to dinner. But during the week, I eat fruit every day and I choose fiber-rich, whole-grain carbs.

--Jody Buffalo, associate editor, beauty

* Whenever I feel I've wandered off the healthy-eating track, I use the following tricks to get myself back in line: For lunch I trim my entree by half, but double up on servings of fruit and veggies. And I dress salads and steamed vegetables with my own homemade nonfat Asian dressing. (Combine 1 cup of orange juice with 1/2 teaspoon of low-sodium soy sauce and a sliced garlic clove in a small saucepan; simmer until reduced by half. Use sparingly ... it's potent!) When dining out, I start off with a cup of broth-based soup to keep from overeating my main course. To curb nighttime dessert cravings, I sip a steaming cup of decaf Earl Grey tea sweetened with Equal and topped with a splash or two of nonfat vanilla creamer.

--Susanne R. Stoeckeler, managing editor

* I log everything I eat and its nutritional content (calories, fats, carbs, protein and fiber) on a form I designed for myself. I also have a column for noting calories expended during exercise. This helps me track calories in versus calories out on a daily basis. It's a system that's helped me maintain a 40-pound weight loss for seven years.

--LaVonne Taylor, copy chief

* At the movies, I buy a kid's box, which has a tiny portion of popcorn, soda and a piece of candy. It's just enough to treat myself, and a lot less fattening.

--Melissa O'Brien, director of photography and casting

* Always plan ahead when traveling. I load up on healthful snacks like fruits, veggies and granola bars. Having these on hand keeps me from eating overpriced, high-calorie fare at airports and gas stations.

--Kate Williams, assistant editor, beauty

* I like to eat a great big salad filled with a variety of veggies before my main course. That way I know I'm getting some sound nutrition in first. Starting each meal with high-fiber foods allows me to control my portions of richer items, like the entree. And I'm left feeling satisfied, so I'm less tempted to pig out on dessert.

--Violet Moon Gaynor, associate editor, fashion/market

* I avoid all alcohol during the week. On weekends I may treat myself to a reduced-calorie drink: half a glass of wine mixed with well-chilled club soda. This spritzer has only about 40 calories, and the bubbles make it festive.

--Bethany Gumper, assistant editor

* I choose water over juice or soda. It cuts out about 200 calories a glass. Drinking water doesn't have to be boring: Spruce up a pitcher of plain [H.sub.2]O with herbs like mint or basil, or slices of citrus fruits or cucumber.

--Kristina Ferrante Coleman, fashion director

* I never shop on an empty stomach and only stock up on healthful staples: tofu, whole-grain bread, almond butter, oatmeal and fresh produce. Without junk food on hand, I'm apt to graze on more substantial snacks.

--Lindsay Morris, associate editor

* I just can't enjoy lunch without a cola, but I'm not always in the mood for diet, so at the soda bar, I fill my cup within an inch of the top with diet soda and then give myself a shot-glass-sized splash of the real thing. It tastes like regular soda, but with only a minimal amount of calories, probably no more than 50 or 60.

--Anne M. Russell, editor in chief

* I don't eliminate treats from my diet. But I do reduce the frequency with which I consume them. It's easy to trim calories by buying treats in single servings, like TCBY frozen sorbet bars at 80 calories each.

--Barbara Harris, executive vice president/editorial director, Active Lifestyle Group

* Have prepped veggies on hand at all times. My favorite trick is to wash and spin romaine lettuce as soon as I get home from the grocery store, then tear up the leaves and toss them in a plastic container along with some sliced cucumbers. Having the backbone of a salad waiting for me in my fridge at all times means I'm less tempted to make a fast-food run on a weeknight.