1. Drink a Glass of Water Before Every Meal
This helps fill your stomach. Your brain will get the message that it's full much more quickly. Plus, you'll stay hydrated as an added benefit.
2. Drink Herbal Tea
When the urge to snack arrives, try drinking an herbal tea. The liquid from the tea helps satiate your hunger just like plain water and can relax you if you eat when stressed. The process of preparing the tea alone can take your mind off of food.
3. Limit High Carbohydrate Foods
You want to avoid meals with lots of carbohydrates, especially late at night. Your late dinner with tons of potatoes will be quickly converted into fat for storage.
4. Limit Alcohol
Alcohol is full of empty calories. If you must drink, at least avoid drinks that are high in carbohydrates like beer and anything mixed with regular soda.
5. Motivate Yourself
Write down your goals and put it in a location you see every day. Tell your friends that you are dieting, especially those that will keep some pressure on. Find a friend to workout or diet with. Personal and social motivation will give you the extra edge you need to stay focused.
6. Eat Lower Calorie Foods
To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you take in. The composition of calories (fat v. protein. v. carbohydrates) is not nearly as important as the total number. Have grilled chicken instead of fried, a wrap instead of an overstuffed sandwich, and a bigger salad to go with a smaller piece of meat.
7. Don't Starve Yourself
When your body gets into starvation mode, it slows down your metabolism. Evolutionarily speaking, people starve because there's not enough food around. Your body will do everything it can to conserve fat when it gets into this mode. Instead of starving, eat more small meals and keep that body burning energy at full speed.
8. Don't Give Up
If you have a big meal, don't be too hard on yourself. It's important to change your habits for the long run. If you let yourself give up after every holiday party or celebration dinner, you'll never make it. Go easy on yourself and take it one day at a time.
What tips have really worked for you?
