tips on eating
Listen for the sigh. When your stomach is full, you naturally let out a small sigh. Most of us have learned to ignore it and keep on eating until the plate is clean. Stop eating when you hear the sigh and you'll see results!
Pay attention to serving size. One serving of meat or chicken is approximately the size of a deck of cards. Many restaurants serve a portion twice that size. Eat half and take the rest home for the next day. Count out a serving of pretzels or snacks and put them in a bowl, and then put the bag away. It'll keep you from overeating.
Slow down! Chew your food thoroughly. If you pay attention to really chewing every bite, it'll last longer and be more satisfying, rather than gulping food down. If you eat too quickly, you may ignore your stomach and psychologically feel like you haven't had much to eat, and therefore, end up overeating. Another way to make yourself slow down is to set your utensils down between each mouthful, or only cut one bite of food at a time.
It's okay to throw food away. Most of us had the "starving children in Africa" or the "clean your plate" speech driven into us. But you know what? It's okay. If there is a little left and you really don't want it or you�ve already had your portion size, go ahead and throw it out. We won't tell your Mom.
Eat plenty of fiber! Fiber moves quickly through your body, and not only keeps your intestinal track healthy, it also helps move fat out of your system! Remember to have fiber and water in combo -- without enough to flush it through, you can end up constipated.
Try writing down everything you eat in a daily food journal. Write EVERYTHING that goes into your mouth. All those little nibbles here and there can really add up without you realizing it!
Brush after meals or have a mint. You're less likely to want to nibble when your mouth feels clean.
Avoid convenience food. It's made for a quick and easy, on the go solution, but that makes it even easier to grab at a moment's weakness of wanting to snack. If you have to make the effort to cut, cook or otherwise prepare your food, it may be enough effort to make you stop and think if you really want and/or need that snack.
Read the nutrition labels!! Lots of foods we think are healthy or �light� really aren�t. For example, a store-bought bran muffin can be loaded with fat and calories, while the next one over on the shelf can be very diet-friendly. Granola is almost always labeled as �healthy� yet it usually harbors high amounts of fat and calories. Never assume about foods, or that two products are equal �always check the box.
Don�t fall into the �organic� trap. Organic food is good for the fact that it is natural and pesticide free, but don�t assume that means it is low in fat and calories. Quite often, natural food store products are fairly high in this regard. Again �read the box to find out what you�re eating.
Many people don�t recognize their body�s signals for thirst and mistake them for hunger. Next time you�re hungry for no good reason, try having a full glass of water and see if you�re truly still hungry. Also, try to acknowledge the difference between feeling peckish (�I�m bored�could eat something�) and truly being hungry (stomach growling).
Chew gum. Oftentimes the desire to nibble is curbed by the act of chewing. Besides, it�s hard to snack with gum in your mouth.
If you like to have treats in the house (snack size candy bars, cookies, Hershey�s Kisses, etc.) but need to keep yourself from being treated too easily and too often, try stashing them somewhere very inconvenient to get to. Place them behind appliances up in a high shelf where you have to get a chair out and move things to get them down. Having to go to all that effort will make it harder to just absent-mindedly grab one (or two, or three). You�ll have to think about what you�re doing and will be more likely to resist. Another option is to have a family member hide them for you, only to dole them out at appropriate times (of course, you have to trust they won�t eat them themselves! ;0P).
Try to eat when you get hungry rather than letting yourself grow over-hungry. Your body will get out of whack and you could end up binging and overindulging.
Everybody is different �some thrive on three meals a day with snacks, while others fare much better by eating many small meals throughout the day. You have to find what works best for you at keeping your hunger curbed and avoiding overeating.
Many of the nifty protein and energy bars and shakes out there are meant to be meal replacements for the average person �not a supplemental snack. They are usually intended as a �snack� for an athlete who is burning a tremendous amount of calories. It always pays to read the label on the box and find out where the products fit into your routine �if at all.
Your body can get into ruts. You may eat similar things all the time and have constant weight loss and then plateau. Eating a variety of foods may help you avoid that problem.
Recognize the difference between good and bad fats. Good fats are found in foods like nuts, avocados and fish, and your body needs a certain amount of these to maintain itself and stay healthy. But even good fats won't help you if you over do it. Be sure to read portion sizes and you'll be fine. For more info on the different kinds of fats, click here.
Moderation is key! Don't go whole hog into eating all one type of food or banning another from your diet. We need variety and a certain amount of carbs, calories and fats to stay healthyl Eliminating any of these can cause problems with your health.
For tips on successully eating out or ordering in, click here.