People are always looking for clever or advanced ways to shed weight, or new and special diet plans that are supposed to somehow make the pounds just melt away. Often, though, a return to basics is required to really lose weight.
In this article I want to explore way to eat less calories. After all, you can’t gain weight without eating more than we need at you will lose weight if you create a calorie deficit, which can be done by eating less high calorie food.
There are a number of ways and tricks you can do this without feeling like you’re making a real effort or giving up on your favorite foods. Let’s go over some of these ways…
Trick #1 – Focus
A lot of people eat in front of the TV or while watching a video on their computer. This takes their attention away from their food and they lose track of how much they eat. Often, they eat even after they stopped feeling hungry because their mind was on something else.
Focus on your food and you will find that you can do with a lot less than you may think you need to eat.
Trick #2 – Out of sight out of mouth
You know the old saying: “out of sight out of mind”. It’s also true for food. If you keep food near you, in your living room, study, or even bedroom (please don’t keep food there), it will forever be tempting you to reach out and have a bit or two (or ten).
Keep your food in your kitchen where you can’t always see it. This way, you’ll have a much easier time to eat less.
Trick #3 – Am I really hungry
Just by asking yourself this simple question: Am I really hungry before you begin to eat something, you may find that although you felt a little hungry, this was a mental hunger and not a physical one.
Just by asking this question you’ll be able to tell real hunger from emotional hunger and cut down on how much you eat, often dramatically.
Trick #4 – Use Smaller plates and bowls
People have a tendency to eat what ever is in front of them and to finish their dish. That’s how a lot of worried mothers raise their children. “Finish your dinner, Junior”. No wonder people eat even when they’re not hungry anymore.
By using smaller plates and bowls, you’ll make it easier on yourself to eat less calories and not feel deprived. One more tip is that you should never eat out of the box or a bag, always put food onto a plate and eat from there. It’s easier to control portion sizes this way.
Trick #5 – What’s Your Hurry
Studies show that if the same person eats at different speeds, that same person will eat different portion sizes. The general rule is that eating slowly is better for you if you wish to eat less. I believe this has two reasons:
- You focus more on your food and exercise greater control over how much you eat and what you eat.
- You’re giving your body time to realize that its been fed so you will feel less hungry.
Trick #6 – Keep It Simple
There are a number of ways to eat the same dish: hose rich in calories and those not so rich. For instance, you can eat your salad with a thick and ultra-high in calories dressing, or you can place some healthy olive oil on it and enjoy a tasty meal which is lower in calories.
The general rule is that you should keep things simple. You may actually enjoy your food more this way.
Trick #7 – Eat less but more often
There are many benefits to eating small meals throughout the day. It helps to keep your metabolism up and helps you to lose weight in a healthy way. It also helps to curb your appetite so you will eat less calories. Try it and you’ll find that you actually have more energy and less hunger pangs when you eat 5-6 small meals instead of 3 big ones.
Here’s a video with more tips on how to eat less calories:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CxRxgb_c0A
