A full 66 percent of the country's adults are overweight or obese, according to the National Institutes of Health. Losing weight takes focus and commitment, but you can accomplish the task by participating in physical activity on a consistent basis and eating small portions of low-fat, low-calorie foods. Besides looking svelte, losing weight helps to keep your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose levels under control.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are low-fat options that have plenty of nutritional value. Instead of reaching for snacks that are big in calories and fat, reach for an apple, a peach or a small bowl of fruit salad.
How you cook your vegetables and what you put on them can turn them from weight busters to fat builders in the blink of an eye. A baked potato contains roughly 118 calories, with only 1 calorie from fat. Turn that potato into french fries, and the calorie count shoots to 155 calories with a whopping 70 calories from fat. Even baked potatoes rank high on the Glycemic Index, a method of determining good and bad carbohydrates, so opt for brown rice or baked sweet potato fries instead.
Grains
The grains that you consume make up the bulk of your carbohydrate intake. For a person on a 1,600 calorie per-day diet, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends an average 5 ounces of grains per day. Choose multigrains and whole grains whenever possible, as they are complex carbohydrates that are high in fiber. The Glycemic Index considers foods with a ranking of 55 or lower as good carbohydrates, while foods ranking 70 or higher should be limited or avoided. One slice of multigrain bread has a GI of 48, while a slice of white bread has a GI of 71.
Stay clear of packaged cereals, unless they are whole-grain cereals, and opt for oatmeal or granola instead. Avoid high-fat snacks like buttered popcorn and potato chips, and nosh on graham crackers or rye crackers. Good carbohydrates to add to your meal include brown rice, soft whole-wheat tortillas or whole-wheat pasta.
Protein
Much of your daily protein intake comes from the meats, poultry and seafood that you consume. Cuts of beef with a high fat content are generally more tender and tastier than their lean counterparts but are not the best choice as a diet food. Choose lean cuts, such as round, sirloin or loin, and get creative with low-fat marinades and rubs to infuse flavor and make the meat tender. Steamed or grilled fish is a healthy addition to any diet, as well as grilled, poached or baked poultry. Substitute turkey for fatty favorites such as hotdogs, salami or sausages, and avoid breaded and fried chicken or seafood or any meat in a sauce that contains cream or butter.
Dairy
Dairy is an important source of calcium that can also be high in fat. Substitute nonfat, skim or 1 percent for whole milk. Consume only cheeses that contain less than 3 grams of fat per serving, and eat only the low-fat versions of cream cheese and cottage cheese. Skip ice cream altogether, and opt for sherbet, sorbet or low-fat frozen yogurt.
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