You do not need to cut the foods you love to lose weight.  

[pullquote]Myth: You must avoid the foods you love to lose weight.[/pullquote]This statement, “you must avoid the foods you love to lose weight”, could not be further from the truth.  There are certain foods that I really love to eat.  I absolutely love pizza.  The cheese mixture with sauce and peppers is almost intoxicating.  From the statement, you would assume that since pizza is not exactly healthy and I love to eat it that I would have to completely avoid it.  Who could imagine not eating such wonderful food?  

I have to admit that I do have trouble limiting my intake and portion control is the key to weight control.  If you are unable to stop at a respectable portion, you should avoid the triggers.  If you can limit yourself, there is no reason to completely avoid them.  For example, cheesecake is a terrific dessert that is a weakness for many.  A serving of cheesecake may have 300-1200 calories a serving.  It is not exactly a low-calorie food and can be quite a weight loss obstacle to overcome if you eat it every day.  To be honest, if you eat 600-1200 calories of cheesecake a day, I suspect you will always gain weight.  I recommend that you know how many calories are in your favorite foods and measure out a respectable serving with 100-200 calories a serving and stop after eating it.  

The bottom line: Moderation is a better strategy. You do not need to cut out your favorite foods as long as you know the calorie content and limit your consumption.  Moderation is key and as long as you can moderate your consumption, there is no reason to avoid your favorites.  Then again, moderation is not having it every day or every meal.  

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