It's officially ridiculous: Every time we crash in front of our TVs after a long, hard

day's work, we're bombarded by countless infomercials revealing the newest line of
fat-burning, abdominal crunching, body-sculpting, miracle-working machines Even
those !u"anne !omers or #ichard !immons diet plans make us want to shoot
ourselves for snacking on popcorn
$ell, we have news for all of you out there: %on't diet, and don't rush off to buy the
ne&t gimmick 'ere's the real secret to losing weight: (ust eat less
weight loss is about sensibility
!ensibility is your new mantra )fter all, doing everything sensibly in your life is the
key to living well *ou don't need to feel trapped behind the prison of your own body
anymore )ll you need to do is control your portion si"es by eating less and eating
sensibly
*ou think that's easier said than done+ $ell, like all things in life, eating less is a
learned e&perience and takes some practice and patience ,ur problem nowadays is
that we're too la"y to turn this practice into a perfectly balanced meal plan
-The problem for most people is that they maintain certain habits that make eating
less .uite difficult,- says /at 0ooth, assistant director of the 1utrition !ervices
%epartment at the 2niversity of 3alifornia !an 4rancisco 5edical 3enter
,ld habits are hard to break, however, tomorrow you'll be looking back at the -old-
you and feeling good about the -new- you that's yet to come 6et our point+ It also
has a lot to do with your self-image *ou must first change mentally in order to
change physically
getting started on your easy steps
)nyone who has ever tried dieting knows the immediate feeling of deprivation that
accompanies most weight loss plans The result for most of us is that we can't stick to
it
Instead of drastically cutting your diet, try gradually accustoming yourself to eating
less Take smaller portions. Leave a little on the plate. In time, you'll
find you need less food to feel satiated
)s you practice putting less on your plate, consider these seven steps to eating less
7the following list is taken from 5r /aul $olf, health correspondent, and we highly
recommend it8:
1- Mini-meal is the operative word
Ideally, every time you eat, your plate should have some protein, a little fat and a little
fibrous bulk to ensure that you feel full and satisfied This takes some planning It
ultimately means losing the -mindlessly munching on pret"els- habit
-Even if you eat fruit as a snack, healthy as it is, you won't feel completely satisfied
because it doesn't have any protein and fat,- 0ooth says
)n apple followed by, say, some plain yogurt, will do more for satiety than two
apples ) baked potato, which has 9:: calories, contributes more to satisfaction than
;: potato chips, which, at 99< calories, adds up .uickly Top that spud with a .uarter-
cup of low-fat cottage cheese 79:: calories8, and you have a filling, healthy snack for
;:: calories
- !on't deprive yourself
*ou don't want to feel deprived or hungry= drastically cutting calories will only slow
down your metabolism by driving your system into famine mode
%on't count calories= >ust eyeball your portions ?et's say you hope to reduce your
daily caloric intake from about ;,@:: to ;,::: 4ocus on reducing your portion si"es
by about ;:A
$ithin a matter of a couple of weeks, you will be ad>usted to the new serving si"es
and they will seem normal
"- #at deli$ious and well
Every diet regimen should permit the occasional treat and nice meal out Eat delicious
food, but eat it in smaller portions
,bviously, cream sauces and fudge brownies at every meal will thwart your weight
loss goals ?earn to en>oy ordinary food as well as e&traordinary delicacies
%- #at your $alories, don't drink them
) can of %r /epper soda contains 9@: calories Three of these a day is an e&tra <@:
calories If you add commercial beverages, >uices and sugary lattes to your diet, you
practically need a calculator to tally the calories that don't do a thing when it comes to
fulfilling your appetite
!tick to water and tea and get your calories from more filling and satisfying foods
&- #'er$ise is the perfe$t partner
*our diet will be all the more successful if you combine it with regular e&ercise
)pproach your e&ercise and diet plan with a focus on how you look and feel, not how
much you weigh In other words, think in inches lost, not pounds #emember that
muscle weighs more than fat
(- Make meals last
*es, two 0alance protein bars have only BC: calories and also contain vitamins,
minerals, fiber, protein, fat, and carbohydrates 0ut you can down these suckers in a
matter of seconds $here's the chewing satisfaction+ ) couple of nutrition bars are
not a meal or even a mini-meal for that matter
The satiety centers of the brain may not get the message right away that you've had
enough Eat slowly, chew carefully and don't put more food in your mouth when you
haven't dealt completely with the last bite
)- !is$over your food triggers
$hat makes you succumb to temptation+ %o you turn to the pantry the instant you
turn on the TV+ 4or some, if it's in the house, that's all the temptation they need 4or
others, stress is a trigger The stress hormone cortisol fuels cravings, according to
/amela /eeke, 5%, author of Fight Fat After Forty
Everyone knows that bigger portions won't fill the empty spaces of our lives or give
us lasting relief from unpleasant moments %iscovering your triggers is a step toward
self-control, which is the basis for eating less
!o ne&t time you see one of those annoying infomercials, follow this three-step
e&ercise: pick up the remote, change the channel, then put the remote back down
easy weight loss is possible
%iets don't work 1ot only do they leave you miserable and feeling hungry, they
actually make you gain weight by slowing down your metabolism Instead, watch
your portion si"es, don't consume sugary beverages, eat slowly, do a little e&ercise,
and you'll be shedding those unwanted pounds in no time
Two ma>or factors are key in shedding inches off your waistline: a proper diet and a
good e&ercise regimen *ou can read more on how to improve your e&ercise routine
and apply some easy nutrition tips, such as the ones below, in our fitness tips channel
Improving your eating habits doesn't necessarily mean that you'll have to undergo
draconian deprivations and scrutini"e your diet for every calorie that is over the limit
!imply make a few minor ad>ustments in your eating habits and watch them payoff
within weeks 'ere is )5's guide to dieting made easy
dieting made easy
The good thing about these dieting made easy tips is that you can lose weight without
letting all of your snack-eating friends know that you're watching your food intake
4urthermore, the ne&t time you go out on a date, she won't be turned off by thinking
you're a pickier eater than she is for re.uesting the low-calorie menu or your salad
dressing on the side #ead on, follow these simple weight loss tips and watch your
waistline undergo some noticeable improvements
*hoose +ui$es with pulp
5ost of us don't like drinking water all day long $e find that it lacks flavor and that
it simply doesn't .uench our thirst as well as soft drinks or >uices do !o, if you're a
big >uice drinker, replace pulp-free fruit >uice with >uice that is rich in pulp The
reason is simple: (uice with more pulp will fill you up more .uickly than processed
>uice 0ecoming full faster means that you'll consume less >uice by day's end, thereby
reducing the amount of e&cess calories
/ulp is loaded with fiber, an essential nutrient that your body not only needs, but will
make you feel a lot more full throughout the day 5ore pulp can also help prevent
insulin spiking, which usually results in an energy crash that comes from strained
>uices )s a rule of thumb, drinking >uice with e&tra pulp will reduce your total >uice
consumption by one-fourth
*hoose whole wheat breads
The same principle can be applied to bagels or bread Instead of buying white bread,
stick to whole wheat The added fiber in whole wheat bread will kill your appetite
.uicker than if you were eating white bread Therefore, instead of eating two portions
of the processed version of the bread, you might only eat one, resulting in a cut in
your caloric intake /roducts containing whole wheat are also believed to keep blood-
sugar levels stable over a longer period of time To make this dieting made easy tip
even more effective, cut your portions in half and eat them over a longer period of
time