Sidestep the Temptations—12 Tricks to Help You Eat Less and Lose Weight

       Sometimes we all need a little help cutting back on calories—try these tips!

Eating too much. Gaining too much weight. Worrying about diabetes and heart disease. A lot of us are super stressed about the numbers on the scale and what they mean for our quality of life.

Yet trying to lose weight can be difficult, especially once we’ve passed a certain age. Stress, changing hormones, lack of exercise, and pressure at work can all sabotage even the best-laid plans.

We all need a little help now and then in staying on track with our weight loss goals. Here are ten tips to try to avoid those devilish temptations, and eat less!

10 Tips to Help You Cut Back on Calories

Whether your weakness is late-night snacking, sugar, fatty foods, or salty snacks, there are ways to trick your brain into eating less. Here are ten to try:

1. Use smaller plates. A full small plate looks the same to your brain as a full large plate, but you’ll eat less. Use small dishes for snacks as well, rather than eating directly out of the bag—pour some in a small bowl and stop when it’s gone. It’s best to also make sure that the plate is a different color than the food—a white bowl for tomato soup, for instance. Different colors help you better determine healthy serving portions.
2. Think skinny. If you’re having a cocktail or a fancy dessert, use a tall, skinny glass. They typically hold less than shorter, wider versions, yet they look like they hold a lot, so they may fool you into feeling satisfied with less.
3. Eat with skinny friends. Studies show we are influenced by others when we eat. Surrounding yourself with others who don’t over-indulge can help you do the same.
4. Keep healthy snacks visible. If you have a bowl of chocolate at your desk or at home on the counter, you’re likely to eat it. Fill these bowls with fruit and other healthy, lower-calorie snacks instead.
5. Get the serving dish off the counter. Studies show that people eat up to 30 percent more when the serving dish is left on the table. Once you’ve served up the food on the plates, remove the dish.
6. But keep the bones in sight. People ate fewer chicken wings when they could see the bones of those they’d already eaten then if the bones were taken away. (But it’s best to try not to eat chicken wings! LOL)
7. Turn down the lights. Studies show that people eat more slowly—and eat fewer calories—when they eat in a relaxed, low-lit setting with some soft music playing. Bright lights and rock music leads to eating more. Try a softer bulb or some candles.
8. Pump up the volume. One study showed that volume can affect how satisfied we feel after a snack. Even though three cups of popcorn and one slice of whole wheat bread may have the same number of calories, you’re likely to feel more full and satisfied after the three cups of popcorn, simply because it takes up more space.
9. Cut up your food. This is related to the volume idea—you’ll feel like you’re getting more if you take more bites. Don’t forget to chew each one thoroughly and put your fork down between bites.
10. Hang a mirror in the kitchen. It will help remind you of your goals every time you’re tempted to reach for just a little more food.
11. Have dessert in the morning. A study by the Tel Aviv University found that dieters who ate a small dessert with breakfast, such as a square of chocolate, a donut, or a cookie—lost an average of nearly 40 pounds more than the ones who avoided sweets.
12. Forget about exercise. A Cornell University Study found that thinking about your upcoming workout can make you hungry, and resulted in people snacking 55 percent more than when their thoughts were focused elsewhere. Do your exercise, but then forget about it!

http://renegadehealth.com/blog/2013/07/17/sidestep-the-temptations-12-tricks-to-help-you-eat-less-and-lose-weight

Simple Solutions To Lose Weight Without Exercise

Obesity rates in our society are reaching epidemic proportions. The majority of overweight people want to lose weight but find it difficult to drastically alter their eating habits and stick to a regular exercise plan.

So is it possible for those who struggle with sticking to a weight loss plan to lose weight without exercise?

While exercise is always best for weight loss and healthier living, there are some ways to lose weight without exercise, which include the following.

Do Not Drink Soda

Drinking soda adds empty calories to your diet that can add to your waistline. If you have a 2 soda a day habit, that is the equivalent of 102,200 calories or approximately 30 lbs in a year.

Eliminating soda from your diet can be instrumental in helping you lose some of the unwanted pounds.

Choose Healthy Low Calorie Snacks

When you find yourself getting hungry between meals, reach for something healthy like a piece of fruit instead of cakes and cookies.

Fruit is a healthy alternative to junk food that can satisfy your craving for sweets just as effectively.

Portion Control

Cutting back on the amount of food you are eating and monitoring the number of calories you are consuming is essential for weight loss.

To make this work, eat only the recommended portion sizes for each meal. If this is to drastic initially, just cut the normal amount you would eat in half.

When you cut back on the amount of food you eat, you cut back on calories and start to slowly lose weight.

Consume Eight or More Glasses Of Water Daily

In order to cleanse the body of toxins and keep your digestive system functioning at peak capacity you need to drink lots of water.

Not only does water cleanse our system, it can also help you cut back on calories because if drinking all throughout the day, it will help you stay full and help reduce the desire to snack. This calorie free beverage is the ideal replacement for high calorie and sweet drinks like soda.

To get the most health and weight loss benefit from water, drink at least 8 glasses daily.

Use The Stairs

Many times we jump on the elevator without giving it a second thought. Next time, why not take the stairs. Taking the stairs may not be a high intensity workout but it will help you burn some additional calories.

Simple little changes like this can have a long and lasting positive on your health and your waistline.

Following these 5 tips can put you on the path to successful weight loss by helping you lose weight without exercise.

Despite the fact that weight loss is possible without exercising, embarking on an exercise program can only improve your results.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/michaeljohn1/simple-solutions-to-lose-weight-without-exercise-blc8

Is Your Partner Making You Fat? 5 Ways to Stop It (Without Breaking Up)

One of my clients recently told me that she felt like she had to choose between her relationship or her weight.
After settling into coupledom, she gained 15 pounds, and every attempt to lose it was crushed by couple-time routines, which nearly always involved eating, drinking, and skipping the gym.
Romantic relationships are extremely influential on your waistline (you can either be partners in crime or partners in health), and several studies indicate that for women, being coupled tends to lead to weight gain. One Ohio State study found that the risk of gaining a large amount of weight gain is higher for men after a divorce and higher for women after marriage.
Another found that after moving in with a man, women tend to eat more high fat, high sugar foods, and a third study revealed that on average, newly married young women gain 24 postnuptial pounds over a five year period.
So how can you remain happily attached without giving up your weight loss and health goals? Try out these five fixes. Each requires some comprise, but results in a worthwhile outcome.


Eat different foods, together
Chances are, your body’s needs are quite different from your partner’s. First, the average American woman is 5’4” while the average man is 5’9 1/2”, and taller people burn more calories. But even at the same height, men carry more muscle mass and less body fat, and muscle requires more fuel, even at rest. The minimal amount of body fat that’s considered “necessary for normal physiological function” is four times higher for women than men (yup, four). So in a nutshell, if a man and a woman are both average height and moderately active, he’ll need over 30% more calories to maintain a healthy weight. You can probably see where I’m going with this – splitting a pizza, or any meal, just isn’t practical. If you’re getting takeout, order two separate dishes. For example, sticking with an order of Shanghai shrimp in garlic sauce rather than splitting chicken pad thai saves over 300 calories (45 minutes on the elliptical).


Personalize your portions
When making meals together, customize portions to suit your body’s needs. For example, on pasta night, keep the components separate so you have better control over the proportions in your meal. If he wants to pile his plate with pasta, meat sauce, and cheese, let him have at it. There’s no rule that says you must eat the exact same thing. For yourself, sauté a few large handfuls of fresh tomatoes and other veggies in small dollop of extra virgin olive oil with garlic and herbs, tossed with a smart-phone sized portion of lean protein (cubed chicken breast, shrimp, tofu, or beans) and a small scoop of whole-grain pasta, about the size of half a tennis ball (if he’ll only eat white pasta, make two batches). If your significant other gives you a hard time, explain that you’re not “on a diet,” you’ve just stopped overeating. Make it matter of fact–you were fueling a Mini Cooper like an SUV, which just didn’t make sense, and now you’re getting back into balance.

Be together, but don’t always eat together
There’s also no rule that says that you have to eat when your partner is eating. If he gets home late, or wants a snack when you’re not hungry, it’s OK to enjoy a cup of tea or glass of water while he eats, and talk about your day. We’re taught to bond over food, and eating together is an intimate experience, but it’s not the only way to connect. And because your bodies and metabolisms are different, it wouldn’t be normal to always eat at the same time. If he pushes back with “just have a little” or “I don’t want to eat alone” emphasize that spending time together is what really matters most, and gently remind him that eating when you’re not hungry is like trying to sleep when you’re not tired, it just doesn’t feel right.


Break out of your rut
Many of my clients tell me that after getting married or moving in together, eating becomes the main theme of date night–popcorn at the movies, dinners out, going for ice cream…. Start tossing out ideas about new ways to spend time together. From hitting a driving range to going indoor rock climbing, mixing things up can breathe some new life into your relationship, and disrupt a pattern of over indulging.

Focus on your love life
Have you ever been so full or tipsy that you fell asleep before you had the chance to get some nooky? I’m not a marriage therapist, but this topic does come up with my clients, and in my experience, focusing on a healthy sex life often leads to naturally gravitating towards less alcohol and lighter, healthier meals. Talk about a win-win situation.


What’s your take on this topic? Has your relationship affected your weight, either in a healthy or unhealthy way? 


Cynthia Sass is a registered dietitian with master’s degrees in both nutrition science and public health. Frequently seen on national TV, she’s Health’s contributing nutrition editor, and privately counsels clients in New York, Los Angeles, and long distance. Her latest New York Times best seller is S.A.S.S! Yourself Slim: Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds and Lose Inches. 
By Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD  Credit: Kristiane Vey/jumpfoto.com

http://healthsfeeds.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/is-your-partner-making-you-fat-5-ways.html

Wedding Weight Loss: 10 Tips Every Bride Should Know

Whether you are about to walk down the aisle, or want to cut the bulge in general, Doug Rice, a Dallas-based personal trainer certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine and fitness expert forTheKnot.com, walks you down the grocery aisle for diet and nutrition tips that will keep you on track for your weight goals.

Nutrition Tips to Boost Your Metabolism

1. Eat every 3 to 3½ hours. The more often you eat nutritious, healthy foods that support your goals, the easier it will be to burn fat.
2. Eat high-quality fuel, aka “supportive foods,” which would include quality proteins, complex carbohydrates and fibrous carbohydrates; they should be eaten frequently throughout the day.
3. It is important to measure out the foods you are eating. If you have no idea how many calories you are consuming, you may never be able to achieve fat loss.
4. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Skipping breakfast will only send the message to your body that you’re starving because you haven’t had food in over 8 hours.
5. Follow each workout with a proper post-workout meal to refuel the muscles and provide them with what they need to rebuild themselves.
6. Minimize simple sugars and processed foods such as soda, fast food, chips, white bread, white pasta, white rice or almost anything that comes in a bag or a box.
7. Consume at least 8 to 12 eight-ounce glasses of water throughout the day. A lack of water causes all your systems to slow down, including your metabolism.
8. Make eating healthy, nutritious foods a priority. Very simply, when health is a priority, we eat supportively and make time to exercise.
9. Plan your meals a few days in advance when your schedule is less stressful. Make a list of snacks that are easy to grab, go and eat during your busy day.
10. Give your kitchen a makeover. If you want to lead a healthy lifestyle, you need to rid your home of all foods that are going to sabotage your goals and replace them with variety of better, healthier choices.

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business/2013/07/wedding-weight-loss-10-tips-every-bride-should-know/