Lifesaving Treats No Dieter Should Be Without

Dieting has always been a major struggle in my life. I am Italian, so that means two things: I'm stubborn as an ox and I can't live without pasta. When it comes to dieting suggestions, there is no bigger skeptic than I. I'm the one sitting in the back of the Weight Watchers meeting thinking, "They're all nuts. I've tried that and it tastes like seasoned sandpaper." Dieting is not easy for me and it probably never will be, but there are some diet-friendly foods that I am absolutely crazy about and irritatingly dependent on:

Hormel Turkey Pepperoni: My Aunt Mary put me wise to these and they are truly amazing. I usually put them in my egg white omelets, which I have over a light English muffin.

Philadelphia 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese: These are incredible and come in several flavors. I have not tried all of them, but I can vouch for the original, chives, strawberry and garden vegetable. They are only 60 calories per serving and have the same Weight Watchers Points value as fat free cream cheese. They go very well with my next suggestion...

Thomas' Mini Bagels: For those of you who are WW dieters, these are only 1 Point per bagel and very tasty. My personal favorites are strawberry, blueberry and cinnamon raisin.

Tuscan Fat Free Half and Half: I am not too big on coffee, but I cannot live without my tea. No matter what your preference, Tuscan's half and half is a wonderful substitute for whole milk and regular half and half. It can usually be found alongside the milk in most supermarkets.

Old London Melba Snacks: These have much fewer calories and fat than most crackers and come in many flavor varieties, including: bacon, onion, rye, whole wheat and garlic. They are usually in the cookie and cracker aisle in most supermarkets.They are wonderful alone and even better with my next suggestion...

The Laughing Cow Light Spreadable Cheese Wedges: These come in original Swiss, garlic herb and French onion. They are only 1 Point, 35 calories and 2 grams of fat per wedge. They are usually in the cheese section of the dairy aisle in grocery stores.

Pringles Light Fat Free Potato Crisps: These are an excellent substitute for potato chips. They are fat free and only 70 calories and 1 Point for a 1-ounce serving.

Herbal Teas: These are a wonderful "free food," but be careful not to overuse sugar and sweeteners. Some studies have linked green tea, a natural antioxidant, with weight loss. I also recommend Snapple's Strawberry White Tea; Celestial Seasonings Perfectly Pear White Tea; Celestial Seasonings Imperial Peach White Tea; and Celestial Seasonings Tropic of Strawberry, which is a combination of strawberry, banana, coconut and pineapple flavors.

Whether you are dieting for weight loss, health reasons or both, dieting is not easy for most people. Ninety-eight percent of all people who diet do not succeed. You stand a much better chance of being successful if you have diet-friendly foods that you like. It is also important to not completely deprive yourself of the foods you love. I hope these suggestions are helpful to some of you and good luck on your weight loss journey.