4. Make sure you include buying favorite green teas for your zero calorie treats.
5. Do eat before you shop. An apple or low calorie bran muffin will do the trick. If you shop while you're hungry, you'll buy more than you need.
6. Don't shop when you're unhappy or frustrated. Calm down first, then shop from your list.
7. Have a cup of freshly made green tea waiting for you in your car, or plan on making tea when you get home for refreshment.
Weight Loss tips for grocery shopping: Reading those labels
8. Nutrition labels are a wonderful gift. Always check the portion size and calories per serving.
9. Buy only low calorie prepared sauces and dressings.
10. Look at the portion size. Are you really going to use just one teaspoon or 1/4 cup per person? If not, find something with less calories.
11. Watch out for servings per container. A pastry may be only 200 calories per serving, but have two pastries per package. If you eat both, you're up to 400 calories.
12. Watch out for hidden fats like butter, oils, mayonnaise, monoglycerides, or diglycerides.
13. Watch out for hidden sugars like sucrose, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, or maltose.
14. Calories per serving, portion size, and nutrient content are more important than convenience. Stick with the numbers, not the advertising.
Weight loss tips for grocery shopping: Treats and tricks
15. If you have to buy something that is high-calorie, insist on the upgrade: either buy the very best or do without.
16. If you know you can't resist eating the whole thing, don't buy it in the first place.
17. Treat yourself to a special fruit, exotic new vegetable, or a new gourmet green tea to keep your diet interesting.
18. If you buy a larger size to save money, divide it up into calorie-controlled servings and store in individual packages.
19. As soon as you get home, clean and prepare fruits and vegetables, then refrigerate.
Congratulations! Now you are ready to stay on your diet.