Losing Weight

Ways To Cut Back On Eating

1. Drink lots of water.
The recommended amount is ½ of your body weight (a 120lb person should drink 60 ounces/day); but if you do not like water or hardly drink it, begin with 16 ounces a day. Perhaps you could have 8 ounces in the morning and 8 in the afternoon. When you succeed with 16 ounces, increase to 24. Continue to gradually increase your intake until you reach the amount that is right for you. The more water you drink, the fuller you feel, and then you will eat less. Drinking 8 ounces of water thirty minutes before eating is very helpful in curbing the appetite. Plus, staying hydrated is very beneficial for your body.

2. Make a list of what you eat for a week.
This will give you a good idea of what you can cut back on.

3. Notice your portion sizes and begin to cut back on them.
The palm of your hand is about a 3-ounce portion of meat. Your fist is about a 1-cup portion and your thumb is about 1 ounce. This is helpful, especially if you do not have a scale to use.

4. Eat fruit instead of candy.
Keep a bowl of fruit handy at work and at home. It is definitely much healthier and has fewer calories.

5. Here is a list of “good for you” snacks:
    • A handful of raisins or nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans)
    • A protein shake
    • Whole-wheat cracker with peanut butter
    • Vegetables with hummus or salsa
    • A smoothie made with fresh fruit, yogurt, and ice
    • Popcorn
    • Sugar-free Jell-o
    • Peanut butter on celery
    • A piece of fruit with a slice of cheese
    • A hard-boiled egg
    • 1 cup of plain yogurt
    • ½ cup of cantaloupe or honeydew melon with a ½ cup of cottage cheese
    • 10 cherry tomatoes
    • 1 slice of turkey, a piece of lettuce, and mustard (optional);
        put the turkey in the lettuce and squirt some mustard on it

There are many more, but these should give you a good start.

6. Eat a healthy breakfast.
Here are some suggestions:

• 1 cup of oatmeal with low-fat milk and a piece of fruit
• 1 piece of whole grain bread with natural peanut butter
• 1 cup of berries with ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese and 1 piece of sprouted bread
• 3 eggs, a piece of fruit, and 1 slice whole grain bread
• 1 cup low-fat plain yogurt with a piece of fruit
• An apple with cinnamon, sprinkled with walnuts or pecans,
and a slice of sprouted bread with a tablespoon of flax oil
• 2 poached eggs with sautéed spinach
• 3-egg omelet with 1½ cups vegetables and a piece of sprouted bread

7. Cut back on or eliminate caffeine.

8. Use a smaller plate.
It will look full to you, and if you feel like you have to finish everything on your plate, you’ll do it with fewer calories.

9. The healthier you eat, the more ideas you will have about what is good for you.