The reason you have to suck it all in to zip up your jeans? Diet food.

Recent research confirmed what you suspected when you opened that packet of baked chips . . . and finished them: People aren't good at estimating serving sizes of low-fat foods, so they eat up to 50% more calories than they do of the full-fat version. Worse, many low-fat foods have the same number of calories as their fattier original products. That's because manufacturers tend to add extra sugar, flour, or other waist-expanders to make up for the flavor that’s lost when the fat gets lowered.

But you have the power to protect your health, your waistline, and your wardrobe with these four simple tips:

1. Compare the calories. Stick with the low-fat version if you like it and it's lower in calories. But if it's not, the full-fat version may do a better job of satisfying you -- as long as it's made with healthy unsaturated fats (no "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" anything!).

2. Inspect the ingredients. Is white or enriched flour, sugar, or sugar syrup among the top four ingredients in the low-fat version? Opt for a different low-fat product made with whole grains. And pass up anything with more than 4 grams of sugar per serving.

3. Check in with your tummy. If you feel satisfied after eating the full-fat version -- and you end up eating less of it -- revisit rule number 1, and enjoy.

4. Or skip steps 1, 2, and 3, and eat "real" food instead. Most fruits and vegetables are naturally low in fat. Fill up on those, and you won't have to worry about checking labels or eating too much.

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