If losing weight is your goal, this is the page for you! First, it might help to have a basic understanding of the three macronutrients: fat, carbohydrates, and protein.

Fat: A small amount of fat is an essential part of a healthy, balanced diet. Dietary fat is a source of essential fatty acids, which the body can't make itself. Fat helps the body absorb vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin E as these vitamins are fat-soluble, meaning they can only be absorbed with the help of fats. Dietary fat also provides your body with energy, especially in times of famine, and also support cell function. It's recommended that 20-35% of your daily caloric intake should come from fat. However, there are "good" fats and "bad" fats that you should be mindful of. Dietary fat comes in four forms: saturated fat, trans fat, monosaturated fat, and polyunsaturated fat.

Monounsaturated fat is healthy and doesn't increase the risk of heart disease. Examples of monounsaturated fat are avocados, canola oil, olive oil, peanut oil, and other oils derived from nuts.

Polyunsaturated fat is also healthy and provides important physiological benefits. It also includes the essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Examples of polyunsaturated fat are soybeans, fish, corn oil, flax seeds, flax oil, walnuts, and sunflower seeds.

Saturated fat serves important physiological roles, but can be unhealthy when consumed above 10% of your daily caloric intake as it can increase the risk for heart disease. Examples of saturated fat are whole milk, cheese, lard, butter, coconut oil, and red meat.

Trans fat is an unhealthy manufactured form used to improve the flavor or consistency of natural fats in a product (pastries, for example), and is known to significantly increase the risk for heart disease. Because of this, trans fat should be avoided or kept to under 1% of your daily caloric intake.

Protein: Protein is comprised of chemical "building blocks" known as amino acids, and is an important part of any diet. Your body uses these amino acids to repair muscles and bones, and to make hormones along with various enzymes. Protein is especially important for anyone engaging in a workout program as it helps aid recovery by rebuilding worn tissue. Dietary protein primarily comes in two forms: complete and incomplete protein. Complete protein contains all twenty essential amino acids and can be found in meat, eggs, and dairy products. Examples of incomplete protein, which do not contain all of the essential amino acids, are nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, whole grains, tofu, rice, and vegetables. Incomplete protein is mostly plant-based, and while you can get all twenty amino acids from eating a variety of these incomplete sources, consuming a single source of complete protein is much easier and much more efficient. For example, instead of eating an array of nuts, grains, and vegetables to form a complete protein, you can simply eat an ounce or two of meat, an egg, or drink a glass of milk. Protein can also provide energy, though not as easily or readily as fat or carbohydrates. Protein is an essential macronutrient, but how much you need depends on a multitude of factors, including the intensity of your workout program, or your individual goals. For example, a bodybuilder whose emphasis is muscle mass will require much more protein than an individual recovering from a jog.

The following is a list of healthy alternatives you can use to reduce your daily caloric intake and help shed unwanted body fat. The formula for weight loss or gain is rather simple: energy input versus energy output. If you check the nutritional panel on a food product, the first thing you'll see is the calories per serving. A calorie is merely a unit of energy, so to lose weight, you need to output more energy than you input. Expending more energy than you take in is called a "caloric deficit," and is the key to losing weight. Conversely, the key to gaining weight is the exact opposite! To pack on the pounds, you simply need to input more energy than you output. If you pump yourself full of calories (energy) you don't use, you're going to see an increase in your body weight. Given how calorically dense most foods are these days, it's easy to consume calories that you're not going to use. The unused energy from the overconsumption of calories is stored as body fat and is the leading cause of obesity worldwide. However, there are many ways to reduce the number of calories you take in, making it easier to achieve the caloric deficit needed for weight loss. Below are a few easy ways to cut your daily caloric intake, making it easier to lose those extra pounds.

Readily available at most supermarkets, ground turkey is a great alternative to ground beef as it contains less fat and fewer calories. It's a tremendous source of lean protein and works as a great foundation for any healthy meal! Throw this in a pan with some vegetables, add some seasoning, and you have a delicious low-calorie meal! Jennie-O offers 85% lean and 90% lean ground turkey that are both wonderful for weight loss. However, with the price of the 90% lean ground turkey being almost a buck more than the 85% lean version, we recommend just using the 85%. Jennie-O also offers a variety of pre-seasoned ground turkey, all of them perfectly suited for any weight loss journey.

Frozen vegetables are fantastic for cutting weight! Not only are they incredibly convenient, they last longer than fresh vegetables and cook quickly. For a fast, healthy meal, we recommend throwing your favorite frozen veggies into a pot or pan along with some lean meat, seasoned to your liking. The end result will be a yummy calorically-light meal that's low in fat, low in carbohydrates, and high in protein.

There's a misconception that vegetables lose nutritional value when cooked, but that's mostly nonsense and only applies to strained vegetables. If you keep the vegetables in the water you're cooking them in, and simply let that water boil down, you're going to preserve all of the vitamins and minerals you might have otherwise poured out since some of those vitamins and minerals do seep out during the cooking process.

Fresh vegetables are also great for cutting weight as they're low in calories yet packed with vitamins and minerals, but they don't last as long as frozen vegetables and take a bit longer to prepare. Vegetables should make up a large part of your overall diet, and unless you're a vegetarian or vegan, should be paired with some form of lean meat to ensure adequate protein intake. If you think vegetables are bland and boring, a bit of seasoning can really bring them to life.

Sweet potatoes are a staple in the bodybuilding community for a reason. Not only are they delicious, they're packed with healthy complex carbohydrates! Paired with lean meat, they're wonderful for building muscle and for your overall health. Just be mindful that they're one of the more calorically dense vegetables, so try to keep your portion size in check.

There's a reason cucumbers are widely used in weight loss diets. They contain almost no calories, but because they're mostly water, they can be quite filling! If sodium isn't an issue for you, we suggest cucumber slices sprinkled with salt and/or pepper. It's a tasty snack that's about as low in calories as you can get! Of course, they're also a great low-calorie way to fill out a salad or wrap.

Canned tomatoes are a great way to fill out a meal, and come in a variety of flavors and styles. They're also low in calories and relatively cheap, making them ideal for weight loss. If you're on a budget, we recommend Walmart's "Great Value" brand as they're much cheaper than the leading brands yet every bit as good! If you add these to your lean meat and frozen veggies, you won't be disappointed!

As far as seasonings go, it doesn't get much better than G Hughes sugar-free barbecue sauce! Most people don't know this stuff even exists, which is a shame because it's every bit as delicious as its sugar-filled counterpart yet contains only 10 calories per serving. Given how flavorful it is, you won't need much to season your meal. You can find it in the barbecue sauce aisle of most grocery stores, and it comes in three incredible flavors. We recommend cooking up some lean meat and veggies, then stirring in a bit of this stuff. Seriously, you won't believe you're eating a healthy, low-calorie meal!

Seasonings are a great way to add some flavor to your healthy meals. There's a whole variety of them, making it easy to change things up so your meals don't always taste the same. You can use garlic and onion powder for one meal, and oregano and pepper for the next! Feel free to mix and match. Most seasonings are calorie-free, making them perfect for any diet. Can you tell we're a fan of Great Value products? Eating healthy doesn't have to break the bank. Walmart's line of Great Value products are just as good as the big name brands and are typically far less expensive.

Speaking of Great Value products, hidden in Walmart's salad dressing section is this low-calorie raspberry vinaigrette and marinade. It's loaded with flavor and makes a great topping for any healthy meal. Mix some in with your lean meat and veggies, and we promise you won't regret it! It does contain a few grams of sugar, so don't go too heavy with it. It's so flavorful, you won't need to use much anyhow. You wouldn't think so, but it actually pairs quite nicely with white rice and lean meat.

If you enjoy a Hispanic kick, try adding reduced-sodium taco seasoning to your lean meat and veggies. It's an incredible way to spice up your meal and is so flavorful, it elevates your dish to a whole new level. Simply throw some veggies in a pan with your ground turkey and a can of tomatoes, and add this stuff into the mix. Once cooked, we recommend topping your meal with a big spoonful of the zero-fat unflavored Greek yogurt listed below. You won't believe you're eating something so healthy!

We cannot recommend this stuff enough! Fage's unflavored fat-free yogurt is simply amazing as it contains only 90 calories per serving, with the majority of those calories coming from its whopping 18 grams of protein! It tastes almost identical to sour cream, making it the perfect substitute. It makes a great topping for lean meat and veggies that have been cooked with taco seasoning. You can also use this to make a fat-free, low-carb dip by adding ranch dip mix, or another dip mix of your choice.

Easily found in the salad dressing section of any grocery store is a variety of dip mixes and seasonings you can add to the unflavored Greek yogurt seen above. These mixes and seasonings are low in calories and a great way to make a dip that's actually healthy! Instead of chips, we recommend veggies for dipping, but if veggies just aren't cutting it, you can always try the Veggie Straws we'll be covering next.

Veggie Straws are a great alternative to chips as they contain 30% less fat, resulting in far fewer calories. As with everything marketed as a healthy alternative, be mindful of the serving size, especially with Veggie Straws. They're so delicious, it's easy to eat a few too many! They go great with a dip made using fat-free Greek yogurt and dip mix.

Great Value knocks it out of the park again with their light Greek yogurt that comes in a variety of delicious flavors. They average 80 calories per cup, and are loaded with protein! Of course, there are other brands of light or low-fat Greek yogurt as well, but we recommend Great Value for the affordable price. These make a great snack and fit well within the parameters of any weight loss diet.

Pickles and relish are another great way to fill out a dish (and fill up your tummy) and they're both calorie-free! Pickles do contain a fair amount of sodium, but for the majority of the population, this shouldn't be an issue, especially if you're engaging in regular exercise. Unless your doctor has you on a low-sodium diet, pickles and relish are a great addition to any weight-loss diet.

Not only is canned chicken easy to find, but it's also extremely convenient and quite healthy! Chicken is an incredible source of lean meat, and pairs well with seasoned vegetables. For a quick, easy meal, we suggest cooking a can of this with some veggies and seasoning. Because canned chicken comes fully cooked, it's also great for salads!

Like canned chicken, tuna is also easy to find and is another great source of lean meat. Canned or in a pouch, you really can't go wrong, although we prefer the pouches for their convenience and array of flavors. As with canned chicken, tuna pairs well with veggies, and the flavored tuna is perfect for salads!

Believe it or not, turkey pepperoni is great for any weight loss diet. Turkey pepperoni contains far fewer calories than regular pepperoni since it doesn't contain nearly as much fat, yet it tastes almost identical. 16 slices is only 70 calories, and you're getting 9 grams of protein! It does contain a bit of saturated fat, so we recommend sticking to just one to two servings per day. Since it comes ready to eat, it makes a perfect snack and goes well with fruit. You can also cook with it!

We don't recommend pasta in a weight loss diet since it's typically crammed with calories. However, the old "everything in moderation" saying still rings true. You can enjoy any food you want as long as the calories you're taking in aren't greater than your daily caloric expenditure. It's easy to overindulge, so be mindful of your serving sizes. If you absolutely must have pasta, try a plant-based pasta that's enriched with protein. It typically has fewer calories than traditional pasta, yet the taste is almost identical. Better yet, it's fairly inexpensive and easy to cook!

As with pasta, we don't recommend bread in a weight-loss diet since it's usually packed with calories. If you simply can't live without bread, check out Sola's new line of low-calorie, low-carbohydrate bread that tastes great and contains just 40 calories per slice!

Again, if you just can't go without bread, try to choose whole wheat bread as it typically contains fewer calories than traditional white bread and is easier to digest. Nature's Own makes a 100% whole wheat bread that's 60 calories a slice with fewer carbohydrates than other brands. It's also quite delicious, and boasts 3 grams of protein per slice!

Instead of a sandwich, why not go with a low-carbohydrate, low-calorie wrap instead? These Olé wraps contain only 4 net carbs, 70 calories per wrap, and come in a few delicious flavors. They're a great alternative to bread, and perfect for weight loss. You can find similar low-carbohydrate, low-calorie brands as well. Even using whole wheat bread, which typically contains 60 calories per slice, you're looking at 120 calories for a sandwich whereas you're only getting 70 calories from one of these diet-friendly wraps.

If you can't go without mayonnaise on your sandwich or wrap, make it a light mayonnaise. It contains far fewer calories, yet tastes almost identical to its high-calorie counterpart. We typically recommend forgoing mayo in favor of a zero-calorie mustard or low-calorie dressing but understand that some people just can't give up their mayo.

We don't recommend cheese for a weight loss diet since it's calorically dense and easy to overeat. That said, if you can't live without it, we suggest trying a reduced-fat cheese. There's also a fat-free cheese that's surprisingly good, but it's hard to find and a bit on the expensive side. There's nothing wrong with enjoying the occasional full-fat cheese as long as you're disciplined enough to stay within the suggested serving size. At the end of the day, it's all about calories in versus calories out.

Like grapes, applesauce is a great way to combat those sugar cravings. Since it's easy to overindulge, we recommend these individual servings as one cup is typically enough to silence that sweet tooth. A spoonful of peanut butter also pairs nicely with these, and can also help counter your sugar cravings.

Hard-boiled eggs are packed with protein, contain no carbohydrates, and are very filling! For these reasons alone, we recommend them for any weight loss diet. If you're worried about their cholesterol, don't be! While it was once believed that eggs contain an unhealthy amount of cholesterol, new studies have revealed that their cholesterol, which is found only in their yolk, isn't so bad after all. That said, if you have a history of heart disease or high cholesterol, you can always remove their yolk. Removing their yolk will also reduce their fat since the yolk is where their fat is contained. Keep in mind, however, that their yolk is packed with wonderful vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to your overall health. If your cholesterol and fat intake is a concern, we suggest removing half of their yolks. For example, if you have six hard-boiled eggs, simply remove three of their yolks. This way, you can still benefit from the wide array of vitamins and minerals found in the yolk. To learn more about the health benefits of an egg, please click here.

If hard-boiled eggs aren't your thing, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy them! Given what a wonderful source of complete protein they are and how many nutrients they provide, we encourage you to add them to your daily diet. An egg-white omelette, perhaps? We're sure you can find your own way to prepare one of nature's oldest, most nutritious foods.

We understand there may be times when you just don't have time to prepare a healthy meal of your own. Found in the frozen foods section of most grocery stores, Healthy Choice's line of "Simply Steamers" are a low-calorie solution for those in a hurry. They're low in calories, but the serving size isn't very large. That's not necessarily a bad thing if you're trying to limit your daily caloric intake, but if you've worked up quite an appetite, beware that one of these might not fill you up.

As with the Healthy Choice frozen dinners above, Campbell's line of Healthy Request soup is great in a pinch. It's low in calories, packed with flavor, and makes a quick, easy meal. Unless you're a vegetarian or vegan, we suggest a can that contains chicken or turkey so you can also get some protein. You can also use a can of this soup as a base, adding extra vegetables and lean meat to fill it out a bit.

We've covered a wide array of foods, but what about drinks? People often forget about the calories you drink, which can add up just as quickly as the food you eat. For example, just one 12-ounce can of Coke contains 140 calories, and it all comes from its ridiculous amount of sugar. You might think orange or apple juice is a healthier alternative, yet it often contains just as many calories, if not more! Most fruit juices are packed with calories as they contain way too much sugar, which is why we recommend sparkling water instead. The Clear American brand, which can be found at Walmarts and Sam's Clubs across America, makes a sparkling water that's so good, you won't believe it's calorie-free. Let us clarify that this is not seltzer water, and tastes more like soda minus all of the calories. This stuff is truly incredible and comes in a variety of delicious flavors. It can be found both in cans and in bottles and is much cheaper than traditional soft drinks. It's crisp, it's bubbly, it's refreshing, and it has zero calories!

There are plenty of other ways to cut calories, and we'll be adding more soon. Be sure to check back for more tips designed to help you shed those extra pounds!

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