Just Desserts: Advice from Richard Simmons

Never eat dessert alone. That's the first advice Richard Simmons gives when he talks about the consuming obsession of all dieters.

"People trying to lose weight always think they should cut out desserts," he says. "Desserts are part of life."

So, how do you face the subject with the right attitude, especially with a holiday season traditionally laden with sweets looming ahead? You plan for it, says Simmons. "One dessert will not make anyone fat."

Portion control is the essential ingredient in many of the popular diet and exercise motivator's nine books.

Simmons describes himself as "a Cancer with chocolate rising." A native of New Orleans and the son of "a chef who made everything from scratch," he can claim rich food as a birthright. His story of ballooning to 268 pounds and then slimming down by eating right and exercising is familiar to dieters who have watched him on television and seen one of his more than 50 fitness videos. He maintains a weight of 155 pounds with daily effort and workouts.

Simmons lives in Los Angeles, where he's working with doctors on university courses to teach people how obesity affects them and how their bodies change from decade to decade. He's also been teaching medical students to be more considerate of obese patients.

Dessert strategies

• Make it special. You respect the dessert more when it comes from your kitchen instead of the bakery, says Simmons, who calls himself a dessert snob. "If it doesn't look good, doesn't taste right, I don't want it." Simmons adds that he knows where to find Boston's best cream pie, New York's most fabulous cheesecake, and an L.A. creme brulee that delights him.

• Reduce the amount you make. If you're baking for four, why tempt yourself by making enough for a dozen? Make cupcakes for individual portions, or smaller cakes.

• Serve less, eat less. Portion control is the most important aspect of any eating plan. Use smaller plates to fool the eye. Add garnishes that look pretty but don't add calories—or fruit, which is healthy.

• Substitute lighter ingredients. You can often use egg whites—now available as powder—or egg substitutes without noticeable effect on a recipe, but with a substantial cut in calories and fat. One egg has about 75 calories and 5 grams fat. A quarter-cup of a liquid egg substitute has only 30 calories and no fat or cholesterol.

• Be fat-free when you can. Fat-free cream cheese doesn't have optimal taste or mouth sensation on a bagel, but it works fine in recipes for lighter cheesecakes and icing. Some vegetable oil spreads can replace butter. But at times you'll want to use a bit of butter for flavor, something Simmons calls "sacred fat." Limit those portions, too.

• Nuts to you. A quarter-cup of nuts contains about 180 calories and 14 to 19 grams of fat. But nuts also contain minerals and vitamins and are high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids—so use them in moderation.

• Think before you eat. If you know dessert is going to be important to a special meal, adjust what you eat before it. When dining out, Simmons immediately sends bread and butter back to the kitchen.

• Redirect your attention. When faced with food you don't want to eat, carry on a conversation instead. "I smile, sign autographs, and chat," says Simmons.