Slim Down Without Dieting

Skip the calorie counting.  Here, better eating habits for a trim body.

Understand Hunger.  Listen carefully to your body before digging in.  True hunger manifests itself in stomach grumbling or a feeling of sluggishness, often within three to four hours of your last meal.  Try having a drink first.   Hunger and thirtst can be almost indistinguishable.  A tall glass of water or iced tea might be all that it takes to satisfy you.

Mind Your Meal.  Use the half-plate rule and fill 50% of your dish with salad, vegetables and fruit.  These foods have a lot of mass but little fat & calories.  This way, you'll automatically reduce the portion size of whatever else you're eating.

Recognize Fullness.  Midway through your next meal, with half your food left on your plate, pause and place your hands on your belly.  Close your eyes and ask yourself how full you feel on a scale of 1 to 10 with "just right" being 6 or 7 on that scale.  3 should mean "eat a little more," and 9 should signal "have more and you'll be uncomfortably full."  Over time, you'll train yourself to know when to stop automatically - no matter how much of a favorite the food is.  Keep in mind that you can alwyas have more of something later on, when you're hungry again.

Legalize All Foods.  Instead of focusing on what not to eat, make all foods permissible.  Incorporate flavors you love into each meal, because studies have shown that the less enjoyable a meal is, the more people tend to overeat to compensate.  So eating foods you like in moderation will give you an edge in maintaining - and even losing - weight.

Give Yourself Ample Time to Eat.  Check the clock before you take your first bite and stretch out that meal for at least 20 minutes.  If you're still hungry after finishing, take a 20 minute time out.  At the end, check your hunger signals.  Go back for seconds only if they're still strong.  Other smart ideas:  sit down for meals, and take small bites, chewing thoroughly.  People who chew their food about 15 times versus 12 tend to be thinner.

(courtesy of Real Simple)