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Eat Pasta and Drop Pounds

Did you ever tried to avoid carbohydrates or starchy foods in order to lose weight? Where ever you go? In my favorite restaurants the lasagna or baked mac on the menu taunts me; in my friends baby shower, the sandwich platter beckons much louder than the mixed greens. And in a business meeting, cakes and cookies distracts me, whether it’s a basket of warm bread, a tasty pasta or tantalizing desserts, carbs can be hard to quit.

Thankfully you don’t have to. Despite their reputation for helping pack on the pudge(Remember Dr. Atkins?) There are certain carbs that can actually help you feel fuller longer and still fight fat. The key? Fiber-found in whole grains, oats, certain legumes and even pop corn! When people follow a high-fiber diet-at least 34 grams of fiber a day- they absorb up to 6 percent fewer calories, research shows.

Before you raid your breadbox, learn these two simple carb commandments to enjoy your pasta and all your favorite carbs and still peel off pounds.

Carb Commandment #1: Look for whole grain. Unlike their white counterparts, whole grain versions of rice, red, brown or black rice, whole grain bread and pasta are high in satiating, fat-fighting fiber.

Opt for whole-grain pastas and replace your usual loaf of bread with one that offers 4-5 grams fiber per slice, says self-contributing editor Janis Jibrin, R.D. For breakfast, nibble a whole grain waffle.   

On pizza night, try whipping up a whole wheat crust at home or order brown rice with your Chinese stirfry and use whole wheat tortillas on Mexican Mondays. These subtle and scrumptious swaps will help you become slim!

Carb Commandment #2: No need to pig out ever on whole wheat! As with every nugget of nutrition advice, moderation is the key. Fortunately, whole grains contain the same number of calories as  refined or white carbs, but they serve up more fiber, so you’ll be satisfied with a smaller portion, says Madelyn Fernstroon, Ph.D., author of The Real You Diet (Wiley). So go ahead! – And have your butternut squash and fried sage pasta, but serve it in a cereal bowl  rather than Frisbee-sized plate and stick to a 1-cup serving mania!

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