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Baking

Baking is by far one of the best ways to prepare foods with weight loss in mind.

You can marinate with a liquid such as lemon juice or just leave the food as is.

Be sure to keep your dish covered either with the lid or with tin foil to seal in moisture. From poultry, to fish, to veggies like squash and potatoes, baking is the perfect cooking method ... just be careful about condiments on the finished product (e.g. sour cream).

Boiling

Boiling is a great way to cook for saving fat and calories, but there is some nutrient loss in vegetables when they're boiled directly in water. To retain some of them, boil veggies such as potatoes in their skins or choose boil-in-bag varieties.

Broiling

Broiling is nearly as ideal as baking, save for the fact that it's tempting to add butter, wine or oil; choose fruit juice or just plain old water instead if you are making a sauce. Broiling is an ideal cooking method for meats and fish.

Deep-Frying

Ah, deep-frying. Oh so yummy, but oh-so-ugly. Fry Baby, anyone? How can something that sounds so cute be so harmful -- Foods cooked by deep-frying are quite possibly the worst thing you could do for your diet. Try to avoid foods prepared this way whenever possible, but if you do choose to indulge, be sure to drain the food sufficiently when it comes out of the fryer ... every little bit helps.

Outdoor Grilling

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It's not something all of us can do -- the tiniest of portable grills will get me booted from my apartment -- and it's dependent on the weather, but outdoor grilling can be a great boost to weight loss efforts if it's a possibility for you. One caveat: Look for (or create) low-cal marinades, as traditional varieties and sauces tend to be high in fan and calories. Better still, keep it plain. Try wrapping food in foil to keep it moist.

Microwave

Microwave cooking is an ideal preparation method for weight loss. You can purchase a microwave steamer which allows veggies to sit in a "nest" above a container of water or you can boil veggies in water.Steaming is preferable, due to the nutrient loss mentioned above. One frozen foods maker recently introduced a steam-in-the-bag line of vegetables, which are a great alternative to boiling or steaming the old fashioned way -- fast, easy, and nutrient-rich.