Counting calories is one of the most reliable ways to maintain or lose weight. But it’s not always easy to do when you’re out and about or pressed for time — and there are plenty of situations (such as a dinner party at a friend’s house) that just don’t lend themselves well to a “strictly numbers” approach.

Here are some guidelines to follow when straight calorie counting is impractical.

That means, as often as possible, your meals and snacks should include whole grains, such as brown rice, whole-wheat bread, and oatmeal, as well as legumes, such as lentils and other beans. And don’t forget to fill at least half your plate with fruits and vegetables.

Choose lean cuts of meat and modest amounts — about 3½ or 4 ounces per serving (which is roughly the size of your palm).

Frying foods adds fat and calories. For stove-top cooking, it’s better either to stir-fry foods in a nonstick pan lightly coated with a cooking-oil spray or to braise them in broth or wine. Baking, broiling, and roasting are also great options — they add no extra fat to your meals.

Milk, yogurt, and cheese are good sources of protein and calcium, but the whole-milk versions of these dairy products are very high in fat.

Hamburgers, chicken nuggets, French fries, and other fast-food staples tend to promote weight gain for two reasons. First, they are high in fat, calories, or both. Second, the “value meals” available at many fast-food chains are often excessively large and tempt you to overeat.

Chips and other deep-fried snacks are high in fat and therefore calories. But even snacks labeled “low-fat” are often high in calories because they contain large amounts of sugars and other carbohydrates.

Regular sodas, fruit juices, and, especially, alcoholic beverages are high in calories.

One last thing… you should try this 10-second “morning trigger” that burns up to 2 pounds of belly fat per day…

“All this by a 10-second morning trigger?” I asked.

I met an old friend for lunch last month and I was super impressed with how good she looked.

She said, “It’s not so much about the morning trigger, but more about how they help raise your body’s low core temperature to dramatically increase your fat burning metabolism and improve your health and appearance.”

Even though I was skeptical, I’ve been struggling with my weight over the last few years, so I gave it a shot and watched the same video she did.

Well, it’s only a couple weeks later and you know what they say about how “you can’t transform your body overnight”…

They’re right — it actually took me 19 days to lose 24 pounds.

Now it’s my girlfriends asking ME what I’M doing differently

Imagine waking up every morning full of energy and loving what you see in the mirror…

Imagine enjoying the foods you love: pasta, wine, or even a dessert — completely guilt-free.

And imagine feeling good and living your life without obsessing about every single calorie you eat…

All while knowing your health is being protected by one of the most powerful natural healing rituals ever discovered.

Click here to see the 10-second “morning trigger” that helped me melt away 24 pounds in just 19 days