Get The Skinny, Fit Body You Want

Throw the scale in the garage, you won’t need it. This is about losing your fat and fat does weigh something but you can’t measure fat loss with a scale. You can’t get the body you want by losing weight. Under that layer of fat that covers your body, you will find your muscle again. This is about getting you back into shape and you do that by changing the food you’re eating. If you’re going to lose fat you have to eat foods that burn more fat. With the right diet, your body will burn your excess fat with a little extra help from you.

First, stop eating fat, if you do that your body has to burn your stored fat. It needs to burn some fat every day and your body isn’t fussy where it comes from, but if you eating fat it’s just easier for the body to burn what you eat.

I know what you are thinking, but because your body only burns a small amount of fat every day, most of the fat we eat just gets stored in fat cells and never gets used because we are always eating more fat.

The best time in your life to get the body you want is when you’re in your 20’s. When you're younger it’s easier and your skin will contract easier.

Are you ready to get serious about your body?  This might be the first time you’ve had to really think about losing weight or getting in shape. If you're out of school now and you started to work this may be the perfect time to get in shape. But there’s no need to panic. You can take off the fat and set up healthy habits to get skinny and keep the weight from coming back. Post this list on your bathroom mirror to serve as a daily reminder of the things you need to do to get in shape so that you not only get fit, but stay lean and healthy for life. If you can get this right now, your life can be so much better going forward.

10 Ways to Get Lean and Healthy in Your 20s

Redefine “skinny.”

We often use the word, “skinny,” but let’s face it, ladies, skin, and bones are not sexy. What you really want is a sleek, tight physique. That means muscle. “Contrary to common belief, muscle makes you leaner, smaller and firmer, not bigger and bulkier,” says Ariane Hundt, M.S., founder of Slim & Strong 4-Week Fat Loss Program based in New York City. If you are not in the Big Apple to attend her boot camp-style sessions, you can build strength at home or at your local gym.
Eat more protein. Yes, I know there are cupcakes and pretzels in your office lunchroom, but if you want to get fit and healthy you won’t eat them. Opt for snacks and meals that are full of protein to build muscle and boost your metabolism. Lean protein will also help you feel full so you eat less throughout the day.

The workout was harder.

Short, intense workouts are most effective for weight loss. When you’re young, you’re more likely to be healthy enough for vigorous activity. So take advantage of it! Learn how to do interval training to burn more fat in less time.
Ignore magazines. Did you know that women’s magazines contain 10.5 times as many ads promoting weight loss as men’s magazines? Many of the ads promote unrealistic claims and use airbrushed images that can make you feel hopeless. Focus on building the strongest, fittest version of your own body to boost your confidence and keep your commitment intact.

Skip the fad diets.

Quick weight loss is effective in some circumstances, but many fad diets promote short-term loss that will mess with your metabolism. “If you are young and haven’t done too much yo-yo dieting, your metabolism will respond to pretty much any change you expose it to,” says Hundt. She recommends that you skip the trendy diets and opt for a healthy diet of lean protein and vegetables. It’s often cheaper than processed food, too!

Drink less booze.

Heads up, party girls! Your drinking may be causing more than just a morning headache. The calories you consume from drinking wine, beer, or cocktails can add up to pounds on the scale each year. Want to make a single change to slim down? Make a plan to drink less for weight loss and better health. It works!

Build healthy habits.

Now is the time to establish daily activity habits to burn calories. Healthy lifestyle routines will help you slim down in the short run and prevent weight gain in the future. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, stand up while you work at the office, walk to lunch instead of taking the car.

Get organized.

The hardest thing about losing weight in your 20s is trying to eat healthy when you have a crazy social schedule. Let’s face it, you have better things to do than slaving over a hot stove to cook healthy meals every night. So learn a few basic meal-planning strategies to minimize your food prep time and maximize your access to diet-boosting foods that will keep you lean even when you’re on the run.

Clean out your closet.

Think of your weight loss plan as a long-term strategy, not a quick fix solution. As you slim down, get rid of the clothes that no longer fit. According to Hundt, when you keep bigger items “you send your brain the message that you will eventually get back to your old weight.” Go all in, girls! Kiss the fat jeans goodbye and don’t let them back in your closet.

Watch your snack habits.

Do you know how many calories should come from snacks each day? Get the answer based on your caloric needs. Then try to be more aware of your snack habits throughout the day. Try to eat less when you watch television and rein in the late-night nibbles when you’re out on the town.

The good thing about trying to get skinny in your 20s is that your body is more likely to respond to small changes, says Hundt. So get organized, get serious, and get confident to make small adjustments and get a fit, healthy body for life.

Your diet is “key”, make Greek Yogurt your go-to snack food along with small amounts of nuts, fruits, and seeds. Eat natural foods and skip processed foods.

Look for my podcasts on anchor.fm, or the podcast app on your cell phone. Search “howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight".

If you really want to lose your body fat then look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books.

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.

Can Processed Foods Expose You To Harmful Chemicals?

YOU BET CHA!!, If you’re from Minnesota you have probably heard that phrase more than once. In this case, I’m not joking.

It’s not like the food purveyors actually add harmful chemicals because they don’t want to get sued, but the ingredients they buy can contain chemicals that can harm you over time. In processed foods, in order to keep the price low, manufacturers will substitute a natural ingredient like “sugar cane” for a manufactured product like “high fructose corn syrup” which can be bought for less money and won’t fluctuate in price because it’s man-made.

So, why does the FDA (Food And Drug Admin) allow anyone to do that? The answer is that the foods are made safe for human consumption because if that one item has something like High-fructose corn syrup which can harm people, the product doesn’t contain enough for anyone to get sick. But say you’re eating chips and crackers all day long, you can consume more chemicals than you should. Does that mean I’m going to drop dead? No, but over time you may be at risk for diseases like Cancer. Chemicals in food will be stored in cells and stay there and accumulate through your life and because we all have cancer cells in our body the chemicals we consume from the foods we eat will cause these cancer cells to grow until after many years these cancer cells are large enough to be detected.

I don’t mean to imply that you can get cancer from eating chips or crackers, but if you notice on the ingredient label that there are a lot of words that you can’t pronounce, those are chemicals. Chemicals that keep the product from getting stale or spoiling. Some also add flavor and some of them are substitutes for real food. Like onion-flavored crackers. There are no real onions used in making a cracker, only a flavor additive or a chemical that adds the flavor of the onion.

Below is a post from MedicineNet.com that explains

Eating fast food may expose a person to potentially harmful chemicals known as phthalates, a new study suggests.

People who consumed lots of fast food tended to have levels of phthalates in their urine that were 24 percent to 40 percent higher than people who rarely ate take-out fare, the researchers found.

“We found statistically significant associations between the amount of fast-food consumed in the prior 24 hours and the levels of two particular phthalates found in the body,” said study author Ami Zota. She is an assistant professor of environmental and occupational health at George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health, in Washington, D.C.

However, the study did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship between fast food and phthalate exposure.

The two phthalates in question are di(2-Ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and diisononyl phthalate (DiNP), Zota said. Industries use these chemicals to make plastics flexible, and they can be found in a wide array of food packaging and food-processing machinery.

The U.S. Congress has permanently banned the use of DEHP in children’s toys, baby bottles, and soothers, and it has temporarily banned DiNP for the same uses, according to the Environmental Working Group. The group is a nonprofit that focuses on environmental health issues.

The bans are based on concerns that phthalates can affect the development of the male reproductive system, Zota said. The chemicals also have been implicated in birth defects, childhood behavioral problems, and childhood chronic illnesses, such as asthma.

The two phthalates can get into fast food during the processing of the food, explained Shanna Swan. She is a professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive science with the department of preventive medicine at Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine, in New York City.

The chemicals also can leach into the food from the packaging in which it is stored, both prior to cooking and when it is served, Zota said.

Fast food even can pick up phthalates from the vinyl gloves that restaurant workers wear to prevent food poisoning, Zota added.

“To reduce exposure to phthalates, my recommendation always is to minimize exposure to processed foods, and the ultimate processed food platform is the fast-food restaurant,” Swan said. “They don’t use anything fresh.”

To see whether people who eat fast food have more phthalates in their systems, Zota and her colleagues reviewed data on nearly 8,900 people participating in a regular survey on health and nutrition conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Researchers defined fast food as anything obtained from a restaurant without waiter or waitress service, or any type of pizza place. All carryout and delivery foods were also considered fast food.

People were considered heavy fast-food consumers if they obtained more than 35 percent of their daily calories from pre-made foods, Zota said.

Zota and her team found that the more fast food participants in the study ate, the higher their exposure to phthalates.

People with the highest consumption of fast food had 24 percent higher levels of the breakdown product for DEHP in their urine sample. Those same fast-food lovers had nearly 40 percent higher levels of DiNP byproducts in their urine compared to people who reported no fast food in the 24 hours prior to the testing.

Grains and meats most significantly contributed to phthalate exposure, the study reported. Grains include a wide variety of items, such as bread, cake, pizza, burritos, rice dishes, and noodles, products made from enriched or processed wheat flour, Zota explained.

Look for my podcasts on anchor.fm, or the podcast app on your cell phone. Search “howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight".

If you really want to lose your body fat then look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books.

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.

Get Rid of Bloating

There are medical reasons that you can bloat on a regular basis. Because bloating doesn’t last very long 3 to 5 days usually, most people just ignore bloat. But that’s a mistake, it might be a sign that you have a medical problem or that you’re doing something wrong. It could be your diet? You might not be active enough or your body might be in a hoarding mode. You're probably eating the wrong foods. Before you spend money on some over-the-counter anti-acids or other medication look at the foods you’re eating. All our stomach problems start with the food we’re eating.

In some cases, we can diminish bloating by walking. Physical activity is important to banishing bloat. Walking after a big meal will help reduce the effects of that big meal.

Make an effort to get more physical activity, with a goal of 30 minutes, 5 days per week. Another recommended lifestyle change is to stop smoking. Smoking can contribute to bloating – so quitting can help — not to mention the other health benefits associated with stopping smoking.

Other Medical Issues
Avoiding constipation is an important part of dealing with bloating. Ensuring that you drink enough liquids, and incorporating fiber into your diet is essential.

It’s important to know that some over-the-counter pain relievers, iron supplements, and prescription pain medications can cause constipation and bloat.

Check for food allergies or intolerance (lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance, fructose malabsorption) as they can contribute to bloating.

Make sure you are getting enough calcium and magnesium

A key recommendation is to avoid overeating — the most common cause of bloating. You may want to eat smaller meals and eat more frequently and stick to regular mealtimes. Stop eating before you’re full, and leave some food on the plate. It’s also important to slow down when you eat — a good guideline is to give yourself around 30 minutes for a full meal. A few other general dietary tips:

Don’t chew gum – especially sugar-free gum
Don’t use a straw – sip straight from a cup
Cook vegetables instead of eating them raw
Cut back on evening carbohydrates

Drink a 16-ounce glass of water 30 minutes prior to each meal, and make sure you are getting 6 – 8 ounces glasses of water daily.

Martha, a thyroid patient, shared this advice that worked for her:

One of my problems with hypothyroidism is water retention, despite the 80 ounces of water I drink daily. My doctor suggested I try 16 oz. unflavored Pedialyte mixed with 48 oz. water and drink this mixture two consecutive days weekly. After the first day, I noticed a significant difference! After the second day, I weighed 1.5 pounds less. Water retention isn’t a problem for me anymore!!! Maybe this will help others.

Eat Foods That Help Reduce Bloat
A number of foods are known to help reduce bloat. Make sure you incorporate them into your diet. These foods include:

High-fiber foods – aim for 25 grams per day
Vegetables: Lettuce, cucumber, spinach
Fruits: Papaya, apples (with the skin), avocados, watermelon, pineapple, mangoes, bananas, cantaloupes, tomatoes
Yogurt
Grains: Whole grains, quinoa, brown rice, oatmeal
Spices: Ginger, peppermint, black pepper
Coffee
Salmon

Foods to Avoid or Cut Back on to Minimize Bloat
A number of foods and drinks are associated with increasing bloat. Try to cut back on consumption of these foods:

Carbonated drinks
Alcohol
Artificially sweetened foods, drinks, and seltzer
Fried foods
Frozen meals
Salty foods and sodium
Processed meats and hot dogs
Beans

Stretching and Massage
It may be helpful to massage your abdomen, by pressing your fingers by the hip, sliding across the ribs, and then down in a circular motion. When your body isn’t getting the liquids of foods that it requires it will go into a hoarding mode, which can cause bloating. When the body retains water,  for example, generally it’s not getting enough water every day so it starts to hoard water, and the same thing will happen with food if the body isn’t getting enough nutrition.

When your body isn’t getting the liquids that it requires it will go into a hoarding mode, which can cause bloating. When the body retains water,  for example, generally it’s not getting enough water every day so it starts to hoard water, and that causes you to bloat.  The same thing will happen with food if the body isn’t getting enough nutrition it will start to hoard fats in your fat cells. Also, you can become constipated and you don’t have to have any medical problems. Most bloating isn’t medical, it’s caused by a bad diet and you aren’t drinking enough water. Learn about what your body requires to stay healthy and follow those rules. You’ll be a happier person and your body will function properly.

Look for my podcasts on anchor.fm, or the podcast app on your cell phone. Search “howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight".

If you really want to lose your body fat then look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books.

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.

I'll be offline for about 10 days and will return after October 25

What If Your Not Losing Weight? What Now

If you’re not losing weight despite exercising and changing your diet, you’re probably frustrated, discouraged, and maybe even depressed. Weight loss is a complex process involving a variety of factors we control, such as diet, exercise, activity levels, stress, and sleep habits, and some we can’t control, such as genes, gender, hormones, age, and body type.

The first thing to check is medical problems you might have. How long has it been since you had a check-up? Are You taking any Medications? It’s possible your medications are the problem. Your doctor can change your meds. So if none of that pertains to you read on.

You may need to work harder to lose weight and be extra careful with your diet. Keep a food diary, monitor changes in your weight, and let your doctor know if you gain more than 5 pounds in a month without any changes to your diet or exercise.

More on what to do if you can’t lose weight: Assess Your Diet | Assess Your Workouts | Assess Your Situation and Lifestyle | Assess Your Expectations

The most important factor in weight loss is how many calories you’re eating versus how many calories you’re burning. Even if you think you’re being very good with your diet, it is easy to underestimate how many calories you’re actually eating. If you have had so much success in weight loss it’s normal to cheat a little, that’s why you have to keep a food log. It’s easy to lose track of the calories you’re actually eating. So, if you are stuck at a plateau it might be your food.

Research has found that most of us underestimate how much we’re eating, especially when we eat out. One research paper published in JAMA mentioned a study in which 99% of over 190 adults underestimated calories in high-caloric food. For example, when assessing fettuccine alfredo or chicken fajitas, the subjects often underestimated calories by 463 to 956, a huge difference and one that could easily sabotage your weight loss goals.

Careful scrutiny of your diet is the only way to know what you’re really eating:

Determine how many calories you need – You can use an online calculator to determine how many calories you need.
Keep a food diary – Use a printed form or an online tracking program, such as Calorie Count or FitWatch. Keep this diary every day for at least a week, being as specific as possible: Measure your portions, read food labels, or access nutritional information if you’re eating out.
Analyze your diet – Online tracking websites will often give you an overview of how many calories you’re eating as well as a breakdown of different nutrients. You can also turn an objective eye to your overall eating habits and look for ways to cut calories. Could you eat out less? Find healthier substitutes for some of your staple foods like yogurt, bread, cheese, another dairy, and chips? Find new, low-calorie recipes? You might even consider working with a registered dietician who can make more specific recommendations.
Keep in mind that you may have to continue keeping a food diary every day to stay on track. Successful weight losers regularly monitor both their eating habits and weight to avoid gaining weight. It may seem like a hassle but, if you really want to lose weight, it’s a must.

Exercise is another crucial element to weight loss, along with your daily activity levels, but it’s hard to know if you’re doing the right workouts or burning enough calories.

Start by looking at your overall program to get a sense of how much you’re exercising. For weight loss, experts often recommend up to 60-90 minutes of exercise each day. If you’re not even close to that, this gives you a place to start as you work through your plateau.

This doesn’t mean you have to start working out for 2 hours a day. In fact, that’s a bad idea if you’re not used to that level of exertion and could lead to injury, burnout, or overtraining.

What it does mean is that you need to make a very important decision: Either you need to increase your workout time and intensity to match your weight loss goals or you need to change your weight loss goals to match what you’re actually doing.

Don’t forget, it’s not just about structured exercise. Working out for an hour doesn’t cancel out the next 8 or 9 hours of sitting (something many of us do). In addition to exercise, try to be as active as you can: Take regular breaks from the computer, take walks whenever possible, stretch, wear a pedometer to see how many extra steps you can get in, limit your TV time, etc. If you spend more than 8 hours sitting, that could be one more reason you’re having trouble losing weight.

Diet, exercise, and physical activity are all crucial elements in weight loss. However, there might be other contributing factors that make it harder to lose weight. If you’re not losing weight, access your situation and lifestyle for other contributing factors such as:

Age – It’s frustrating, but one side effect of aging is slower weight loss. After 40, your metabolism starts slowing down and hormonal changes (for women, menopause and for men, andropause) make it harder to lose weight. That doesn’t mean you can’t lose weight, just that you may need to adjust your expectations for a more realistic timeline.
Gender – Men usually have more muscle than women and, as a result, often lose weight faster.
Genes – Some people are genetically predisposed to be obese. Our genes regulate how our bodies store and burn the energy we get from food and, for some of us, our genes have a tendency to hustle those calories into the body, lock them in and throw away the key. If you have a family history of obesity, there may be a genetic component that makes weight loss harder. However, that doesn’t mean you’re at the mercy of your genes or that you can’t lose weight. In fact, studies show that exercise can actually offset this weight problem.

Look for my podcasts on anchor.fm, or the podcast app on your cell phone. Search “howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight".

If you really want to lose your body fat then look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books.

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.

What Is Visceral Fat And How To Get Rid Of It

A great post from VeryWell.com tells us about the different fats in our body and which ones are dangerous to our health. Read all of this one, stomach fat is what causes your health problem when you age. If you intend to see your grandchildren grow up and maybe get married, the best advice I can give you is to stay thin and eat well. Good food is more expensive but you don’t have to eat as much.

Visceral fat is adipose tissue (fat tissue) that surrounds your vital organs. Visceral adipose tissue is located deep inside your body and is sometimes referred to as belly fat. If you have too much visceral fat, you may be at higher risk for certain health conditions and diseases. Belly fat will double your risk for diseases and cancer that affect your organs.

The Definition of Visceral

Since visceral fat is often called belly fat, you might wonder why we use the term “visceral” to describe it.

The reason is that there are two different kinds of fat in your belly and visceral fat is only one of them.

In a health setting, the word visceral means in or near your vital organs (your viscera). These are the organs deep in your gut, like your stomach and your intestines. Visceral muscles are found in the walls of your visceral organs. Visceral fat surrounds those organs. Since your vital organs are located in your midsection, visceral fat accumulates in the area around your belly.

But not all belly fat is visceral fat. There is another kind of fat called subcutaneous fat. Subcutaneous fat is located underneath the skin. This kind of fat is located all over your body and is important for your body to function properly.

Health Risks Associated With Visceral Obesity

If you have too much visceral fat, you have a condition called visceral obesity. Doctors sometimes call this condition visceral adiposity.

While too much of any kind of fat can be dangerous, there are certain health risks associated with having too much visceral fat.

Patients with visceral obesity are at higher risks for several conditions, including:

insulin resistance
glucose intolerance
high cholesterol
high blood pressure
heart disease

How to Measure Visceral Fat

In some health clubs or educational settings, a clinician might estimate your visceral fat by taking a waist measurement. Your belly measurement can provide insight into the amount of fat that you are carrying around your vital organs. You can also measure your own belly fat at home.

To get the best measurement, use a flexible tape measure. Wrap it around the widest part of your stomach, across your belly button. The tape measure should rest gently on your skin; not so loose that it falls away and not so tight that it digs into your skin. Once the tape measure is positioned correctly, breathe in and then take the measurement on the exhale.

Men and women have different numbers that may indicate visceral adiposity.

Men: A waist measurement greater than 40 inches
Women: A waist measurement greater than 35 inches
If your waistline indicates a higher risk for visceral adiposity, talk to your doctor. Your health care team can do more extensive diagnostic tests to accurately measure your visceral fat so that you are able to better predict your risk for a disease.

How to Lose Visceral Fat

It’s not uncommon to have belly fat that you want to lose. Whether the fat around your midsection is visceral fat or subcutaneous fat, your plan will be the same. To lose fat, you need to increase your daily activity and reduce your food intake. You might see pills and supplements advertised online that claim to reduce belly fat, but most of those products don’t work – and some can even be dangerous.

If you’re concerned about belly fat, talk to your doctor. He or she can explain how visceral fat affects your specific risk for disease. Knowing these facts about your health might help you to make the changes necessary to reduce your visceral fat, reach a safer weight and keep a trim midsection.

Look for my podcasts on anchor.fm, or the podcast app on your cell phone. Search “howbaddoyouwanttoloseweight".

If you really want to lose your body fat then look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books.
There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, B&N.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.
My new e-book is available on Smashwords.com, just type “getting to a Healthy Weight” in the search box at the top of the home page.

Change How You Eat And Lose Weight

When it comes to ways to lose weight, most of us tend to think in terms of “what” not “how,” meaning we frame weight loss in terms of what we should eat and shouldn’t eat instead of how we eat. While what we eat is extremely important to our general health and maintenance of a healthy weight, how we eat can be an incredibly influential factor in our ability to lose weight as well.

By making simple changes in the way you eat, you can avoid hundreds of mindless calories a day. These ten weight loss tips may feel a bit strange at first, but keep doing them until they become a habit and you will start to see the benefits.

Slow Down

It is very typical in our culture of fast food and hurried weekday lunches to eat too fast. Though it may be a time-saver, it won’t save your waistline. It takes up to 20 minutes before the stomach can tell the brain that it is full, yet the average meal lasts only about 10 minutes. The unfortunate result is that we eat far more than we need, which puts us at risk of being overweight or obese. If slowing down can save 100 calories a day, that could add up to a pound of weight loss a month. That’s better than adding a pound a month.

Small Plates

A scoop of mashed potatoes looks small on our oversized dinner plates. Put your food on small, 9-inch plates and your serving sizes will be more accurate. This simple trick can convince your brain into thinking that you have “eaten enough,” saving you another couple hundred calories a day.

Sit at the Table

We can consume hundreds of calories of cookies and chips while browsing in the pantry or grabbing a quick snack. These calories add up. Eat every single bite of food while sitting at the table. The extra effort will scare off weak cravings and allow you to truly assess how much you are eating.

Only Eat from a Plate

Resolve to only eat from a plate. Eating from bags, shared dishes (like chips or popcorn bowls), or straight from the container hides how much we are really eating. Take the time to place all the food you eat on a plate to help regulate portion sizes. That’s the better way to eat. We have become used to “grazing and not eating meals”, not good. That’s a recipe for adding fat to your body. Small meals more frequently are better. It keeps you from getting hungry.

Move the Serving Dishes

Do not put serving dishes on the table. Doing so makes it far too easy to have a second or third scoop before you let your brain catch up to your stomach. Leave the serving dishes in the kitchen. You can still have seconds, you just have to get up to get them.

Eat Better Desserts

Become a dessert gourmand. Eat only the finest, most expensive desserts you can find and afford. You will eat less and enjoy them more. The cookie and candy aisle in the grocery store is filled with sugary things that don’t really taste that good. If you need to feed your sweet tooth, find some $4 truffles and relish them (in moderation).

Your ancestors, 1000 years ago, ate fruit for dessert, smart.

Eat Often

Eat less at meals but tell yourself you can go back in a few hours for more food if you need to. Have trail mix, nuts, yogurt, and other snacks handy. Try to decrease the amount of food you need to feel satisfied at a meal. Many nutritionists swear by an eating schedule closer to the following:

• Breakfast
• Mid-morning snack (make this a second breakfast)
• Lunch (eat half a lunch)
• Mid-afternoon snack (eat the other half)
• Dinner

Eat When You Eat

When you eat, eat. Do not watch TV, read a newspaper, talk on the phone, or drive a car. Just eat. Pay attention to your food. Monitor your servings. Distraction will only lead to automatic eating. That said, sitting down to a meal with a friend or family member to chat with can be a good tool for slowing down, so don’t shy away from healthy lunch dates.

Liquid Calories

Examine the number of calories you drink. You can usually cut out hundreds of calories a day by eliminating sodas, juices, sweetened coffee drinks, and alcohol. Keep a log of everything you drink and then add up the calories. You might be surprised by how many of your calories each day are liquid. We used to think that drinking juice was healthy and then we saw that it was loaded with calories. Low-calories diets generally are about 1200 or 1600 calories a day, so don’t drink your calories. Save your calories for solid food.

Instead, try substituting with water. If you’re in the need of a little caffeine or flavor, try a cup of hot or iced tea. You might also want to consider skipping the diet sodas and drinks as well. While they have little to no calories, the sweet taste only makes your brain and body crave sugar more. Do yourself a favor and drink water instead.

Crave from Your Plate at the Table

When you have cravings, first try to wait at least 5 minutes. If you are still craving the food, do the following: get a small plate, put a few bites of the craved item on the plate (no more than one serving – read the label!). Then put the package away, take your plate to the table, and eat your food without distraction. Ask yourself if it is worth it. Usually, a craving is for salt or sugar. You can satisfy that craving with healthy food like a hard-boiled egg with a little salt. Trying to lose weight is an awesome task. You should cut out salt and sugar, but because that’s hard to do, cut back to almost nothing. Add a little sugar to some tea. When you try these tricks a couple of times you’ll realize how little you need to make that craving disappear.

You may also try to find some healthier substitutions for certain cravings. You might be surprised how satisfying the sweetness of Medjool dates or eating a few grapes can help.

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