Archive for March, 2009

1. SNOOZE TO LOSE.
If you can manage to nab just 30 additional minutes of shut-eye a day, it may help you ward off extra pounds because sleep deprivation can masquerade as hunger.

2. EAT OFF YOUR CHILD’S PLATE.
No, don’t pick at leftover chicken fingers. Just use a smaller, kid-sized dish to help cut calories from your own meals.

3. USE A PLATE AND SIT WHEN YOU EAT.
“People eat 20 percent more food out of a box or bag than if they pour the amount they want into a bowl,” explains Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating.

4. AVOID HANGING OUT IN THE KITCHEN.
It’s the focal point of most homes, but if you spend all your time in a room full of food, you’ll naturally want to eat. If everyone seems to gravitate to the kitchen, put the junk food in a cabinet to avoid temptation.

5. EAT LIKE A CHILD.
Children are perfectly attuned to hunger cues – they know when they need to eat, and they stop when they’re full. Get reacquainted with your body’s signals.

6. FILL UP ON FIBER.
This weight loss weapon helps you ditch pounds – and hunger pangs – because it fills you up for fewer calories, says Melinda Johnson, registered dietician and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Great fiber sources: fruits, veggies, small portions of nuts, and whole grain cereals.

7. BEWARE OF TRANS FATS.
You’re probably avoiding giving your child food containing partially hydrogenated oil (trans fats) ever since you first heard it’s the worst fat for the heart. If it’s not good for your kids, it’s not good for you either.

8. SIP YOUR WAY SLIMMER.
If a fancy coffee is your go-to drink when you’re exhausted and need a pick-me up, make sure you know how many calories are lurking in your cup. Add-ins such as whole milk and flavored syrup are not diet friendly.

9. SNEAK MINI WORKOUTS INTO YOUR DAY.
When it comes to blasting calories, doing several short bursts of exercise is as effective as sweating through one long workout. Ramp up your metabolism by jogging for five minutes followed by five minutes of strength moves and another five of crunches.

10. MUNCH ON KID-SIZED CUISINE.
If you’ve never met a bag of chips or cookies you couldn’t polish off in one sitting, try noshing on foods that come in child-size portions so that you don’t go overboard. Stash a few in your purse or desk drawer.

Tips from: The Idaho Statesman Website