Secrets of Success

Ratio of Food on plate

Whenever you can (not always) try to make up 50% of your plate with vegetables, 20% carbs and 30% protein.

This way you'll be full, stay fuller for longer and be eating less carbs and creating low calorie meals.

Put a mirror on the refrigerator

Studies prove that people are more likely to stay on track when "eyes are watching them." A mirror on the refrigerator, and one in the pantry, may subconsiously reduce snacking, sneaking or binging. PLUS, looking at yourself will remind you of your goals and help make that decision on whether you are going to snack or choose another option when you are not truly hungry.
Even better, put your "goal picture" BESIDE the mirror to remind you where you are heading.

Live Like You Already Reached Your Goal

I realized a good way to keep yourself exercising and eating healthy - and that's to do everything as if you've already reached your weight loss goal!

When you lose weight, your stomach shrinks along with you, making you feel full faster. Because you know this - and you don't want to stretch out your stomach - you are compelled to eat less. With this kind of mindset, you're eating less. This is a method of portion control.

I have already lost a few pounds by doing this! You can, too!

Have a snack set

Find a set of snacks that will fit within your calorie budget. Know the proper portion sizes for these snacks by heart. Keep these things together so that when the munchies set in you can go straight to them for a small snack rather than raiding the fridge.

TRICK YOU HUNGER

I heard this the other day ---I have gotten into the habit of measuring food but instead of putting it all on 1 plate, I put it on individual saucers or bowls, its a mind trick that makes you think your getting a pile of food and in reality you are getting the right amounts.

Drink instead of eat!

When you think you are hungry, drink a glass of water. Most of the time you are actually just thirsty!

Nuts in the car!

I wish I could say that I always eat when I should, but there are times when I don't. I'm working or just busy. The problem I kept running into was this panicky hunger. If I'm in the car it's the worst because. I've often gone through the drive-thru. I've started keeping a can of mixed nuts in the car so when the panic sets in... I pop the top eat some nuts and the urgency goes away. I'm able to calm down and figure out a healthy alternative to the drive thru.

Wash away Cravings!

Do you ever want to keep eating after you have finished a meal? I sure do! To combat that, I drink a full 8 oz glass of water after meals. It makes me feel more full, washes away the lingering (tempting) flavors in my mouth, and helps me meet my water quota for the day.

Mini Meals

I used to think of a snack as a reason to eat something that wasn't very healthy. I honestly tried to avoid them because I felt guilty when I ate them.

Now I eat 5 or 6 "mini-meals" everyday. Knowing that I'm eating about the same amount of food every 2 to 3 hours has helped me stick with good choices. I'm never hungry!

Move

I find that when I think I'm hungry if I get up and move it goes away! I tend to eat more if I'm just sitting around doing nothing. So try cleaning, walking, or dancing around your house. Anything that will get your mind off food!

Fighting a Strong Food Craving

We all have them--and when we succumb to our food cravings, we often overindulge. It is sometimes a stumbling block that leads us to binge eating, deflated motivation, and problem that can get us off track from reaching our goals.

Grocery tips

Make a grocery list from your week's menu plan. Do not shop when you are hungry. PUT THE GROCERIES IN THE TRUNK of the car and don't nibble on the way home. Go in the door closest to the fresh produce. Avoid processed foods if you can. AND READ THE NUTRITION LABELS.

Lunch

Lowing intake

Hot Chocolate treat!

When I'm feeling hungry and I know it's more out of boredom than actual hunger I make myself a cup of sugar-free hot chocolate. The texture and warmness of it keeps my tummy occupied until I'm ready to eat!

Bananas

When I feel hunger, and it is not quite meal time, I eat a banana really slowly, putting it down while I chew. I'm usually multitasking at the same time. I find that when I am half way through eating it, I feel so full, I can hardly finish it!! There goes my hunger!

Water Makes You Less THIRSTY

A lot of people will tell you to drink more water to make yourself less hungry. For me, that NEVER works. Drinking water is great, but it doesn't make me want to eat less if I'm really, truly hungry. Hunger and thirst are governed by two DIFFERENT parts of the brain, so drinking more water will not trick your brain into thinking you're less hungry. If you're hungry, stop and EAT SOMETHING!! (snack suggestions in "more info")

A genuine beleif you are hungry in the middle of the night

I have always woken up with a huge sense of hunger and eaten in good faith, I needed to eat before I could get sleep. Secret: Instead of eating, try going to sleep. I did this and I woke up hunger free. Was not real hunger.

Put off treats until you have eaten your necessary nutrients for the day

Plan you menus. How many calories, protein, carbohydrates, and fats do you need for each day?
Then promise yourself you will not eat a treat/cheat off of your plan until and unless you have eaten all the nutrients for that day.
Just as you need fuel to drive your car, feed yourself healthy foods before you choose any extra calories.
Remember, in some cases WATER can quench both thirst AND hunger.
Congratulate yourself for each day you eat on plan!

Feeling hungry?

Drink a tall glass of water and wait 20 minutes. If the hunger pains go away, then you were just thirsty. If you still have hunger pains, then eat something healthy and in moderation.

Choose Real Sweet Over Artificial

Artificial sweeteners may save you calories, but it's not really that great a bargain. Artificial sweeteners have been connected to weight GAIN, INCREASED food cravings, INCREASED hunger, INCREASED insulin resistance leading to Diabetes and DECREASED ability to taste naturally sweet foods like fruit. And, yes, some sweeteners are STILL possibly linked to CANCER - they just haven't been on the market long enough for the link to show (all according to a recent Dr. Oz show).

Easy way to inventory your refrigerator contents

Ever find yourself looking in the fridge for something?
Wondering if that leftover has grown hair?
Need to remind yourself to put something on the grocery list?
Heloise printed the suggestion of a magnetic dry board on the front door of the refrigerator.
You can write the contents and date of items (particularly leftovers) on the board so you will know when to use them or throw them out.

Sip First!

When you're feeling hungry between meals try drinking some water or another no or low calorie beverage to make sure you really are hungry and not thirsty. Sometimes your body sends mixed signals.

Stomachs know REAL hunger, minds & clocks don't!

Relying on my mind to know when I'm hungry doesn't work. I convince myself to eat because it's been (fill in the blank) hours since I ate. Instead, I stopped watching the clock and let my stomach do the thinking.

My mind doesn't tell me when I'm hungry. My stomach does.

Eating when REALLY hungry works for babies, who are mostly at healthy weights. Even naturally slim people do this. Learn to listen to your body again!

It's okay to be hungry sometimes!

I am always hungry because I am used to overeating. When I was doing Jenny Craig my consultant asked what would happen if I was hungry. She reminded me that I am not starving to death, and I will still be able to eat my next snack or meal. Being hungry won't kill me, or even cause any long term problems. It's okay if I'm hungry sometimes, meeting my goal is more important!

Dealing With Hunger

I had been battling HUNGER as I try to get back on track, and I remembered that a low calorie, filling, flavorful soup can help with that. I begin with canned tomatoes, stewed, diced, whatever I have, add Italian seasoning, then add low calorie veggies, such as onions, cabbage, okra, squash, and eggplant. Whatever you have on hand. Once it is all cooked in the tomatoes and spices, everything seems to go together, even if you didn't think it would at first. This is filling, flavorful, lo cal