Mexican food is a double edged sword: it can be a great ally in losing weight or it can completely sabotage your weight loss progress.

The good news is that a little planning and some smart decision making can keep you losing the pounds while downing the tacos.

So here are some essential pointers for weight loss with Mexican food:

1. Avoid the chips: Not only are they full of saturated fat, but they are also loaded with carbs. Additionally, all the salt they are covered with will leave you bloated. If you feel like snacking, go for the spicy carrots instead. The pickled radishes would be another good option here.

2. Make avocados your best friend: Avocados your best friend. You see, avocados are an extremely healthy source of fat. Just be careful with having too much, because even healthy fat has lots of calories. One more thing, make sure you don’t combine sour cream with avocado.

3. Be wary of tortillas: You see, a lot of what’s inside the tortilla is healthy, but the tortilla itself is a carbohydrate bomb. If you order a burrito, for instance, only eat what is inside and toss the tortilla. Even better, order the burrito without rice, cream or cheese.

4. Stay away from anything that has been fried: Especially taco shells since deep fried shells pack an insane amount of calories. Even worse, the saturated fat in the oil will prevent your active tissues from absorbing carbs.

5. Eat as much salsa as possible: Not only is this stuff loaded with antioxidants, but it also has few if any calories. So try to add as much salsa as possible to everything you are eating. Even better, the spiciness of the salsa will help you feel fuller faster.

Eating out is a part of our social fabric. And Mexican food is one tasty choice that many people like to indulge in. It can also be a healthy choice as long as you make some smart decisions!

Author Katherine Crawford, cialis shipped overnight an exercise expert and former arm fat sufferer, is an expert on upper arm exercises that work. Learn how to get toned arms right now by exploring her blog on flabby arm exercises.