Moderation

The biggest set-backs I'd have when I was losing weight was when I'd DECIDE, "I'm never having "___________" (fill in any kind of treat) again. I remember thinking "okay, my diet starts tomorrow and I'm NEVER having ice cream again so I'm going to load up for the rest of my life right now..." It only set me up to fail and I'll just say, I've had ice cream plenty of times since then. I always felt the cravings stonger when I'd decide I could NEVER have them again.

The trick is moderation. Being moderate in what we eat, when we eat, the amount of food we eat. This is one of the "tricks".
WHAT you eat... you CAN have a "treat"
WHEN you eat... you can have your "treat" every once in a while (maybe once a week instead of every day)
AMOUNT you eat... you can have a SMALLER portion of your "treat" once a week.


This applies not just to treats but to all our meal habits. We want to be moderate in WHAT we eat. Whole grains, lean meats, good fruits and veggies these should be staples, although adding salt, oil or butter can be included in small amounts.

Having moderation in WHEN we eat means can mean eating 3 solid meals or eating small meals every 2-3 hours during the day. If you can do the smaller meals, more frequently and that works for you, that is a great way to keep your metabolism up. Getting 3 solid meals is also good if eating more frequently doesn't work for your schedule or your body.

Moderation in AMOUNT of food is pretty obvious. Go for smaller portions. To be more specific, eat about a fist size of WHOLE grains, a palm size of meat and as many veggies as you can (go light on any salt or butter if you use them).

This change will help you reach your health goals a lot faster.