How to Eat

• Eat only at the table. Don't munch on the couch or at the kitchen counter.

• Don't starve yourself! Skipping meals only tricks your body into thinking its survival is threatened, and it will hold onto its fat stores for dear life.

• Eat slowly and chew each bite completely to decrease your appetite.

• Eat three small meals and two snacks daily instead of two or three huge meals.

• Don't eat anything for the last three or four hours of your day. Once you've had dinner, be done for the night.

• Don't eat anything unnecessary. You don't need "all the fixings".

• Learn to control yourself at social affairs. Don't use them as an excuse to pig out. Be strong.

• Serve yourself normal portions of food. Three ounces of meat or a half cup of rice are plenty in one meal.

• Don't nibble on things throughout the day. Some tidbits contain hundreds of calories.

• Use a smaller plate than usual for dinner. You'll feel like you ate more than you actually did.

• Don't work while eating. Separate all of your activities from your meals, so you can concentrate on what and how much you're eating.

• Beware of the wall you may hit at 3:00 p.m. Many people feel the urge for a caffeine or sugar lift at this time. Have some fruit or crackers on hand to combat this.

• Don't eat a single bite while preparing meals. Chew gum, if it helps.

• Never get seconds. Make a habit of stopping after one plate of food.

• Put leftovers away immediately to avoid further grazing.

• Read labels carefully. Some low fat items are very high in calories.

• To slow yourself down, eat with the opposite hand you usually eat with.