1. DON’T DEPRIVE YOURSELF
“Enjoy the foods you love in moderation,” encourages Dr Amy Shapiro of Real Nutrition NYC. “No single food makes you gain weight, the portions are what matters.”
2. EAT UNTIL YOU FEEL SATISFIED, NOT FULL
You’ve heard this before. According to etiquette author Emily Post, a polite lady should put down her fork between every bite, a technique that also helps you realize when to stop eating before you feel bloated.
3. STAY HYDRATED
“We get confused and believe that we are hungry when we really are just thirsty. Aim for eight glasses of water a day, add lemon for a flavor and vitamin boost.
4. KNOW YOURSELF
If you can’t limit pick-able foods (chips, nuts, grapes, candy, etc.), then make sure you stick to single serving portions, such as handheld fruit, individually-wrapped hummus.
5. SKIP THE BREADBASKET
This in my opinion is just empty calories; I advise you to follow the pick your “poison” rule: Bread, Drinks or Dessert. You can enjoy one but not all.
6. MAKE SURE YOUR INTAKE ISN’T TOP HEAVY
“Don’t restrict yourself all day and then break down at night.” Remember, if you eat more substantially during the day, the night time grazing will taper.”
7. MAKE SURE HALF OF YOUR PLATE CONTAINS VEGGIES
Vegetables are filled with fiber and water so they fill you up without filling you out.
8. HAVE A SMALL SNACK BEFORE GOING TO A PARTY
Try a handful of nuts or a piece of fruit so that you don’t show up ravenous and make poor decisions.
9. WHEN ORDERING OUT, ALWAYS ORDER A SMALL
Whether it is coffee, salads, soups, frozen yogurt, If you want to be small, order that way.
10. CARRY SNACKS
“This way, you’ll always be prepared when hunger hits. Temptation is strong when you are hungry and faced with poor choices—so stash snack bars, or fruit in your bag.” My favourite snack bars are Granola bars and fruit and nut bars.
11. BE A PART-TIME VEGETARIAN
“Give your body a break from animal protein and mix things up.
12. DON’T EAT IN FRONT OF THE TV
“If you are hungry, reach for fiber rich snacks that fill you up on fewer calories like popcorn, fruit, trail mix.
13. LEAVE 1/4 OF YOUR FOOD ON YOUR PLATE WHEN DINING OUT
When we eat out, portions are normally double what we need, “The beauty here is that you can eat what you like, just less of it.”
14. DON’T DRINK YOUR CALORIES
Remember, stick to water or seltzer to keep you hydrated and save the calories for a treat later on.
15. EAT BREAKFAST
Breakfast gets your metabolism working and prevents you from eating most of your calories at night.
16. ENJOY A SALAD OR SOUP TO START THE MEAL WHEN YOU DINE OUT
Both fill you up with low calories and leave less room for the main course.
17. ALWAYS CHOOSE WHOLE GRAINS AND AVOID THE WHITE STUFF
This way, you don’t have to cut out carbs entirely. Whole grains keep you full longer, maintain your blood sugar levels and provide you with vitamins and minerals. White flour quickly converts to sugar in your body. If you don’t burn it up, you will store it as fat.”
18. BUT KNOW THAT EXERCISE IS NOT EVERYTHING
Going to the gym does not mean you can reward yourself with a gargantuan dessert later on. Eating well, not exercise, determines whether you will gain or lose weight.
19. BE ACTIVE FOR AT LEAST 3 HOURS EACH WEEK
Even if that means waking up an hour earlier to hit the gym, going for a walk after dinner, hopping off the bus or car a few stops early or parking your car further than you normally would.
20. TRY TO AVOID THE “MISH-MOSH” DINNER
The problem with having a meal of hummus, crackers, yogurt, etc, is that these ‘snack for meals’ often end up being more calories than having a balanced dinner.
21. NO BLT’S—BITES, LICKS, OR TASTES
Those can add up, especially when you end up finishing your friend’s plate.
22. DON’T EAT OUT OF THE BAG
Pour your snack (chips nuts, trail mix) onto a plate or bowl so you can tell how much you’re consuming before you finish the whole bag.
23. NO EATING AFTER DINNER
“Calories give us energy. We don’t need energy to sleep,”
24. NO SECONDS
You just don’t need them. Fullness will take some time to settle in, so even if you don’t feel full, give yourself some time to digest.
25. STAY AWAY FROM ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS
“Artificial sweeteners increase cravings and lead to bloating and fatigue. Go for one teaspoon of sugar in the raw, or honey or maple syrup. One teaspoon is only sixteen calories.
By Teri Mendes
