Most diets work if you follow them. Unfortunately, when you stop dieting, you usually fall back into old patterns of eating, and the pounds creep back on. To lose weight and keep it off, change your eating habits and lose weight a little at a time -- the same way you gained it.
Pigging Out
Many Americans no longer recognize and eat reasonable portions of food. Begin changing eating habits by taking half your meal home from restaurants. When cooking at home, allow for a 2-inch food-free ring around the outside edge of your plate, then divide the rest. The University of Michigan says to fill one-fourth with protein, such as lean meat, fish or beans. Fill another fourth with whole-grain foods or starchy vegetables, such as corn or potatoes. Fill the remaining half with non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots or salad. Or divide the last half of your plate between a non-starchy vegetable and a fruit.
Mindless Snacking
If you eat when upset, anxious or bored, find other ways to handle your emotions. Keep temptation at bay by not buying high-calorie comfort foods. Instead, reach for raw veggies or fruit when you need a food crutch. Better yet, go for a walk, call a friend or do a chore that occupies your hands. Distract yourself and food cravings may pass. Snacking while watching television can be a problem if you take the snack container to the couch. Instead, measure out a serving of a healthy snack, eat slowly and wait before going back for seconds. You may find you don't need more.
A Sweet Tooth
Unfortunately, delicious treats like cake, candy and ice cream are full of fat, sugar and calories, and it's difficult to just eat small amounts. One way to satisfy a sweet craving is with a piece of fruit. Fruit is fat-free and contains vitamins, minerals and fiber. Eat slowly to give your body time to respond to the sugar in the fruit. Avoid drinking excessive amounts of fruit juice, however. While nutritious, they are not as filling as whole fruit and are higher in calories.
Guzzling Soda
It takes 3,500 calories to create a pound of fat. To lose a pound a week, you need to consume 500 fewer daily calories, burn off 500 calories or some combination of the two. A 12-oz. can of regular soda contains approximately 150 calories, so by eliminating sodas, you greatly reduce your caloric intake. If you drink caffeinated sodas, cut back one or two at a time to give your body time to adjust to the reduced caffeine. Switching to diet soda eliminates calories, but carbonated beverages can damage tooth enamel. Water is a better choice -- it has no sugar or calories, and it's free, too. By breaking unhealthy food habits, you may find your wallet grows fatter as your body gets slimmer.
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