Moderation vs. Deprivation = Your Ideal Weight

 The alternative to suffering through restrictive diets is to learn how to bring moderation into our eating habits.  We’ve been fed and have come to believe we ‘must’ eliminate certain food and/or food groups from our diets in order to lose weight.  If this is what we must do what foods do you think you must eliminate to lose weight?    Sweets?  Carbs?  Starches? Meat?  Fat?    While some weight loss programs have food restrictions which make it difficult to adhere to a program, the programs featured on SkinnyTimes advocate eating in moderation not deprivation to lose unwanted pounds without eliminating any food types.

Portion Size
A major eating and overweight issue is not as much about what we eat but very often our  portion sizes are too large and we get trained to eat more than we need.  Make it a point to decrease your portion size by one-third and you’ll notice that there isn’t much difference.  The portion will still fill you up but will have consumed fewer calories.  That’s a Win-Win!  . .

Modify Your Meal Schedule
Changing your eating schedule can help you eat in moderation.  Most of us eat the standard 3 meals including breakfast, lunch and dinner.  However, this causes the blood sugar levels to drop between meals which can cause you to overeat at the next meal.  Divide your 3 meals into 5 or 6 small meals per day.  This does not give your body time between meals for your blood sugar to drop.  These 5-6 small meals should each be about the size of your fist.

Taking a Second Helping – REALLY?
You’ve eaten something delicious and you want a second helping.  When you realize it takes the brain 10-15 minutes to know you are full it will be easier to develop this healthy habit:  After eating your first helping wait 10 or 15 minutes before going back for a second serving. You may find you’re really not hungry for that second serving after all.    If you are not hungry – do not eat!

Why Are You Eating?
Ask yourself – am I really hungry?   Too often the need to resort to eating is driven by some kind of emotion such as stress, sadness or when you are bored.  Make it a rule to ask yourself ‘Am I hungry’ before taking that first bite or sip.  Only eat when your body answers YES when asking am I hungry? 

OOPS!
To err is human.  To forgive is divine.  Self-forgiveness is doubly divine.
If you falter and eat a meal or snack that is too big OR go back for seconds OR give in to some kind of craving just forgive yourself and get back on track.   Keep your eye on your goal.  For reasons unknown when people falter their attitude switches from goal driven to giving up and eating poorly the remainder of the day or week because they already messed up. Choose to change: If you falter make it a point to eat something really healthy the next meal or snack and get back on track without delay. .

Hydration or Hunger?
Thirst comes in two forms.  One is a feeling you get when your mouth is dry and you need something to wet your mouth.  Sometimes if you’re not sufficiently hydrated you can get a feeling in your stomach comparable to being hungry.  If you have this feeling try drinking some water and see if the feeling is in fact thirst.  If not, eat one of your 5-6 small meals.

Fiber Can Fill You
Foods high in fiber, such as fruits, are very helpful to losing weight.  Fiber is known to fill you up quickly so you do not feel hungry and because they are low in calories you are not adding a lot of calories. Who doesn’t enjoy fruit especially in season?  When possible buy local by visiting a farmers’ market in your area.

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