What's Your Little "Trick"

Before reaching for seconds, or going for dessert, I wait atleast 15-20 minutes.

If I'm going out to a restaurant I'll only eat half of what they give me and take the other half home to have the next day. I also try to eat smaller meals, almost like snacks, then if I'm still hungry after a half hour I'll have another small snack.

Lots of water and i use to hate chewing gum, I have started chewing gum and that seems to take some of the issues I have with eating away.

I don't eat after 7:00 p.m.

I always drink a sip of water after every bite and if I'm out at a restaurant I divide my meal on my plate and put half of it aside or on my boyfriend's plate before I start eating.....but now he complains he's eating too much so guess I'll just have to start getting a to-go box at the beginning of the meal! I also measure my snacks out the night before into individual baggies, so if I'm having pretzels, I put the serving size in a baggie and eat it from there instead of the big bag.

Here are two good ones. I never use a dinner plate. They are too big and it always looks like you have less food. Use a lunch plate. Also, instead of putting dressing on your salad put it on the side and dip your fork in the dressing then take a big bite of the salad. You will use a quarter of the dressing and it tastes the same.

Love the dressing idea! Going to do that!!! I totally agree with the smaller plate idea too. It makes your mind believe you have eaten a lot if you clear the smaller plate.

I try to track meals for the day in advance so I know where I stand during the day, and I go back and edit any changes.

I eat the same thing for breakfast and lunch every day (smoothie for breakfast, salad for lunch). It's kinda boring but I keep it interesting by changing up the ingredients. It is so much easier for me to plan this way, and a lot easier for me to count calories too. I've read that there have been studies that show that eating the same thing every day for at least one meal helps people lose weight, and in my experience I think that's true!

i bag up food into snack size baggies.. carrots.. nuts.. small things like that and write cal on baggie.. and on cans of food write calories on front of can.at beginning of week. i know i can eat 1200 cal a day. at beginning of day i pick out all food i may want that day equaling 1200 cal put on table in front of me like Halloween candy.. (unless it has to be cold) . its nice cause you can see everything you can eat all day right in front of u . it looks like alot. usually.. also i dont have to worry bout calorie counting cause its already done.. i can grab and go...half the time i dont even eat it all cause theres so much

I try to track meals for the day in advance so I know where I stand during the day, and I go back and edit any changes.

I do this too - plus it helps me to know what I'm going to eat at my next meal and I'll know where I am on my macros and what I need to add or watch.

I have lots of the same tricks as the others...

My favorite trick is to stay busy. I think about the meals and snacks I will have during the day while I am having breakfast. Then, I stay busy. That means, cooking the food, or going to the grocery store, or my favorite one- always do something after I eat. Don't just eat and then sit. After eating, I'll go get the mail, or wash my dishes, or clean something up- any activity that gets my body moving a little after I eat.

Also, I swear by the small plates. For dinner I usually use 2 salad plates- I believe they are 6-7 in. in diameter. I will usually split one with half veggies and half carb and then use the other for a small piece of protein that I need room to cut into small pieces. This always keeps my portions in check. I remind myself, I can always eat again later. Sometimes I will even have 3 of these tiny plates and put more veggies on the other, or fruit. My eyes are so happy to see all that food on all those plates! Which in turn makes my tummy thrilled. If you think this is silly- try it. Then, the next time put all the same food on one of those huge plates. You will see what I mean!

Drink lots of water and avoid anything diet- the sugary taste makes you crave more sugar. When all else fails, clear hot tea (herbal at night) and black hot coffee (decaf at night) work wonders.

Logging here, honestly and faithfully. Other than a week when I was out of the country, I've logged every day since May 2010. Holding yourself accountable for every bite isn't really a "trick', but it sure does the trick for me.

I use a small plate, weigh or measure everything. Never eat in a hurry....enjoy the food and when I feel full, I stop. And I never go back for seconds.

Pam aka Cherubcrnp

1. I track everything I eat even if its a bad day- I need to know the damage I've done so I can begin to repair it the next day
2. I plan extra exercise when I know I'm going out to dinner (or something similar)
3. I use snack bags for treats. Ex. I buy a box of reduced fat cheeze its I bag the entire box into individual servings.
4. I use my kitchen scale for everything!
5. I try new low fat/ calorie recipes - gives me some variety. If you like chocolate try the Hungry Girl Yum Yum Brownie Muffins they are yummy!!
6.I use my smart phone to help me be smart about choosing food when I am eating out. I saved the pdf files of the nutritional info for all the popular restaurants in my area that I have eaten at and I order from that.
7. I weigh myself daily. Some disagree with this but each time I have lost track and fallen off the wagon the first thing I did was stop weighing myself so I do it daily and acknowledge that its going togo up and down during a week but it keeps me paying attention and being honest with myself.
8. I seldom use a large plate anymore the only time is when I'm going to have to cut a piece of meat so I don't make a mess I use two sets of small bowls and the tea cup saucer.
9. I plan everything I can - food and exercise wise.
10. When I track if I don't know exactly how many calories are in something (all the food at my favorite authentic mexican restuarant). I choose something similar in MFP but choose the one that has the MOST calories that way I'm not undercounting and overeating.
11. I research everything I can especially things people seem to adamant about yet my education tells me something is wrong such as the whole starvation mode, eating back exercise calories, sugar intake, % of carbs, fat, and protein, etc. and I'm creating a list of questions to ask my doctor at my next appointment Sept 2 for the things I am still unsure about.
12. I dip foods in sauces instead of pouring on top. But this is something I have always done because people (restuarants) put too much sauce on foods.
13. I plan BAD days! That gives me something to look forward to and a way plan to counteract it.


I think that's about it for me.... Good luck to you!