Totally eliminating certain foods|I've got to go cold turkey on some things (10.7%)
Portion control|I've been amazed at how well this works (46.0%)
Adding in more fruits and veggies|Summer has made this very easy (34.0%)
Mainly, drinking more water|It really does keep my hunger in control, so I don't' have to change my diet too much otherwise (9.3%)
I am constantly trying to get my eating habits in check. One thing that worked pretty well for me was "body for life". It teaches portion control in conjunction with excercise, which to me is the only way to stay healthy. Problem is I work full time, have a 8 month old son and am trying to help my husband start a business, so my health has come last lately. I would love some tips on fast, healthy eating that's not based around keeping celery and carrots fresh and available.
For me, its all about portion control. If I can eat smaller meals then, I lose weight. Also, its critical to eat slowly. A dietitian once told me that the key to losing weight and keeping it off is to watch the portion size and eat slowly. It takes a while for your brain to recognize that you're full.
I totally agree with Dida. Once I started to eat more slowly- my trick is to take sips of water in between- then, I felt fuller more quickly and hence, lost weight. I also try to drink as much water between meals as possible. It works!
My approach is to eliminate bad foods. Every several months, my friends and I do a two week "carb cleansing". We eliminate sugar from our diet. All sugar! Its hard for the first 2 days but, if you can get past it, the rest of the time is easy. I also feel great when I'm doing it (after the 1st 2 days) as I have more energy and don't get the "sugar highs" and lows that I usually do. I recommend it!
Water is key! If you force yourself to drink water- even if you don't feel particularly thirsty- you will fill up and be less likely to eat too much. Be sure to drink water as much as you can between meals. That's when we are most likely to snack on bad stuff!
I feel you can eat anything you want to. But the object is to limit your portions. For instance instead of eating five or six cookies, limit yourself to one cookie. LOL, I'm still working on that one though.
For myself, all of the options felt like they should be part of eating healthy. I don't want to cut certain things out of my diet, but I know if I don't eat at Taco Bell for a few weeks, I'll stop craving it. Eating more produce makes me feel better after I eat, drinking water helps me curb snacking, and portion control is so important to me. My problem seems to be that I feel like I have to be full to stop eating, which we all know is dangerous. If I can stop that, I know I'll be able to lose weight.
I am on a Romaine binge. Just having discovered from reading the package, about how GOOD it is for you. I couldn't believe I could get my full vitamin A dose from one salad!
I beleive all of these are a key element in eating well. I do know that if I drink water in between my meals , I seem to be more full than if I did not drink the water, plus it hydrates me. It also helps to maintain the kidneys well being and gives your skin a certain glow.
I work for an international not-for-profit, so my workday tends to be nonstop once I turn on my computer and cell phone. To make sure I eat well, I try to set aside time each weekend to apportion foods and snacks to eat at work. Thus, even though I don't take a lunch break I can nibble throughout the day and still be sure I'm eating the right foods in the right portions.