Start Your Meal With Salad

We all know veggies are important in any diet plan, but you don't have to survive on them alone in order to whittle your waistline. If your well-balanced meal features vegetables, protein, and carbs, however, science says it's best to start with the greens. A study published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition claims that "subjects who ate salad and yogurt shortly before a main meal had smaller waist circumferences at the end of a three-month trial than subjects who had those foods with their meals." After filling up on the good stuff, saving the carbs for last will likely result in you eating less of them - it's also better for your blood sugar.

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