12 Skinny Foods for 2012

12 Skinny Foods for 2012 Here are 12 delicious, diet-friendly foods that offer phenomenal calorie bargains. If you're looking for creative ways to enhance your weight loss efforts this year, give these tasty bites a try!

Shrimp At just 8 calories a pop, shrimp are a top-notch source of lean protein, which helps rev your metabolism and suppress your appetite. Start your next restaurant meal with a shrimp cocktail app to fill up quickly, so you don't overdo it when the main entrée arrives. Or, sauté shrimp with a medley of veggies, like onions, mushrooms, peppers, and broccoli, to create the ultimate diet-friendly dinner.

Grape tomatoes One cup of grape tomatoes clocks in at only 30 calories. These bite-sized nibbles are sweet, colorful, and ideal for snacking since you can pop 'em in your mouth one at a time. And, because they're so low in calories, you can munch to your heart's content!

Egg whites Egg whites are pure, high-quality protein and just 17 calories apiece, which makes them the ideal ingredient for a low-cal breakfast with real staying power. For a slimming morning meal, scramble 4 to 5 whites with any sautéed veggies (I like a combo of spinach, tomatoes, and onions) and top with a dollop of salsa (another food on my skinny list!).

Naturally flavored seltzer If you're bored with plain old water, try naturally-flavored seltzer — carbonated water with a shot of fruit flavor. It's completely calorie-free, fizzes like soda, and comes in fun flavors like green apple, cherry, pomegranate… even vanilla and white chocolate! And it's one of the "cleanest" drinks around — it doesn't contain sugar, artificial sweeteners, food dyes, or anything else. For sweetness and pizzazz, float a few fruit slices or frozen fruit cubes made with 100% juice in your glass.

Whole-grain sandwich thins Sandwich thins and flats are the best thing since… well, sliced bread! That's because you get TWO halves for the same calorie count as ONE slice of regular bread (100 calories). Use these versatile, whole grain buns to build turkey or chicken sandwiches, or lightly spread them with nut butter or reduced-fat cream cheese for a smart bagel substitute.

Cucumber Cucumbers are one of the all-time best foods for fighting uncomfortable bloat because they're loaded with water and naturally low in sodium (taking in extra water while halting salt reduces water retention). Plus, they're a terrific calorie bargain; you can gobble up an entire cuke for just 45 calories. When you get the urge to munch between meals, slice one up into "chips" to squelch your appetite in a hurry.

Salsa With less than 20 calories per ¼ cup, salsa is a dieter's best friend. Bottled or fresh, salsa makes a zesty, low-cal dip for crunchy veggies like baby carrots and celery sticks. It's also the ultimate slimming condiment for sandwiches, burgers, and baked potatoes. Use it as a flavorful replacement for mayo, sour cream, butter, and other fattening toppers.

Popcorn One cup of "naked" air-popped popcorn (without any added butter or oil) has only 30 calories! If you don't own an air popper, you can make plain popcorn right in your microwave. Add 4 tablespoons popcorn kernels to a brown paper lunch bag, fold over the edge of the bag twice to close it, and microwave the bag on high for 1.5 to 2 minutes. (Microwave times will vary; it will take a few trial runs to figure out the perfect amount of time required to pop the kernels without burning them.) To kick up the flavor, sprinkle your popcorn with Parmesan cheese, spices (chili powder and cumin, yum!), or even hot sauce.

Hot sauce Research shows that including spicy foods at meals suppresses your appetite and slightly revs your metabolism, so hot sauce is doubly deserving of the "skinny food" title. Add this fiery condiment anywhere you can — sprinkle it on eggs, add a few dashes to soups and stews, or mix it into hummus to kick up the heat.

Water chestnuts These under-the-radar veggies offer super satisfying crunch — a texture a lot of dieters crave after giving up potato chips and other snack foods. You can munch your way through a whole can for just 50 calories. They're also super low in sodium, unlike most canned foods, so they won't make you bloated. Quite the contrary, their high water content will actually help minimize puffiness. Water chestnuts are a classic addition to stir fries and a crisp, refreshing mix-in for low-fat chicken or tuna salad.

Grapefruit Grapefruit are refreshing, hydrating, and sweet, and one of the few seasonal winter fruits. One large grapefruit runs you just 120 calories and, since you eat the flesh one segment at a time, it automatically helps pace your eating.

Frozen cherries Frozen cherries are a skinny solution to sugar cravings. Snack on these deliciously sweet gems right out of the freezer bag — they're like a healthy version of cherry Italian ices. You can enjoy ¾ cup of these icy treats for just 110 cals, and because they're frozen and take awhile to eat, you'll stretch out your snack time.