When you eat, just eat. Don't read, watch TV or do your bills.
Limit eating to one room in the house. Establish a rule to have all your meals there, even snacks!
Make dinnertime special. Dim the lights, use pretty place mats and china, and arrange some fresh flowers for the table.
Start with a meal with a bowl of hearty, low-calorie soup. You probably won't want to eat as much during the rest of the meal.
Try not to eat when you're stressed. Do some deep breathing to relax, or sip a cup of hot herbal tea to feel calmer and more in control.
Don't leave serving dishes on the table. Who needs to be tempted?
Practice portion control. Measure out one reasonably sized helping at a time. Before you automatically go for seconds, ask yourself if you're really still hungry.
Eat complex carbohydrates (like vegetables and whole grains) first. You may as well fill up on healthy fare.
Savor each and every bite. You'll probably get more satisfaction from what you eat, which means you'll be less likely to overdo it.
Remember this rule: It takes 20 minutes for your brain to register that you're full. So eat slowly in order to avoid outpacing your body's internal control mechanisms.
Clear the table as soon as you're finished. This will keep you from sitting around and picking when you're no longer hungry.
Ask someone else to clean up. Otherwise you may find yourself standing in the kitchen and absentmindedly noshing on the leftovers. Before you know it, you can easily consume the caloric equivalent of another entire meal.
Get out of the house when dinner's over. There's a good chance you'll feel refreshed and ready for a nice evening after you return.
Plan your meals. If you wait until you're already hungry to start thinking about lunch or dinner, you may take the easy way out and just grab whatever around.
Don't focus on what you can't eat. There are lots of yummy light foods you can have practically anytime you want.
Think of healthful food as energy food. Notice the lift that good-for-you foods deliver. Remember that eating them makes you strong.
Live one meal at a time. The idea that you must change how you eat for a lifetime can be overwhelming.
Store high-cal foods in opaque containers. If you can't see the cookies, you'll be much less tempted to have one--or two, or three...
Keep healthy snacks within reach. Put out bowls of luscious fresh fruit, and take time in the evening to cut up a bunch of veggies for a quick nibble the next day.
Shop like a European, and buy fresh food you'll eat right away. Avoid purchasing items "for later". Keep all extra edibles out of reach in an inaccessible place.
Give away what you don't want to eat. Just because you love to prepare delicious goodies doesn't mean you have to keep them. Try baking for a busy neighbor's kids or for an elderly relative.
Don't munch in the car. You can scarf down 1,000 calories while carpooling.
Use cheeses and meats as condiments. Instead of regarding these high-fat, high-cal foods as the focus of your meal, have them on the side. Healthful whole grains and other complex carbs like legumes and veggies should occupy your plate.
Avoid skipping meals, which may make you prone to reach for fatty and sugary foods later. Also, going without food for too long can slow your metabolism.
Limit caffeine intake. A few strong cups of coffee might get you off to a fast start, but you may crash later and feel moody--which can result in a desire to indulge.
Over the weekend, make a list of five healthful breakfasts. Check your list during the week when you're rushed.
Brush your teeth and floss after you eat. When your mouth feels fresh, you want to keep it that way.
Whatever you do, remember breakfast. One thing lots of overweight people have in common is going without a morning meal. A good breakfast can help you control your appetite for the rest of the day and get your metabolism humming.
Try getting up ten or 15 minutes earlier. You probably won't miss the sleep, and this way you'll have time to try out one of those good breakfasts on your list.
Beware of drinks with lots of calories. That includes the 20-ounce softdrinks as well as alcoholic beverages.
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