7 Proven Calorie-Busters

[Guest guest]

This came from e-diets.com. If you read it you'll see a lot of Weight

Watchers ideas used here.

1. Keep a food diary. Note in it what, how much, and when you eat; how

hungry you are (very, somewhat, not very); your emotional state (e.g.,

happy, bored, sad, rushed, lonely, nervous); your " position " (e.g., sitting,

standing, lying down, driving); whether other people are present; and what

you are doing while you are eating (e.g., watching TV, reading, driving).

Use your food diary to identify trouble spots and habits that you can

change.

2. Try to eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and planned snacks at approximately

the same time each day. If breakfast is at 7, lunch is at noon, and dinner

is at 6 -- plan light snacks at 10, 3, and maybe 8.

3. Try to take at least 20 minutes to finish every meal.

4. Substitute a new habit for a food habit (e.g., instead of raiding the

refrigerator the moment you get home from work, drink a glass of nonfat milk

or ice water and take a quick, relaxing shower).

5. If you want something to eat when you're not hungry, try having a cup of

tea (relaxing), a diet soda (refreshing), a V-8 juice (salty), or a banana

(sweet).

6. If you don't have time to exercise 30 minutes a day, exercise for 15

minutes -- twice (before breakfast and before dinner). It doesn't matter if

you split your exercise time up, or do it all at one time. " Just do it. "

7. Make easy-to-follow, common-sense rules for yourself. Look at your food

diary for clues. You might make a rule to eat in only one room of your

house, never to eat while reading or driving, never to eat while standing

up, etc. Keep on keeping on. Psychologists say it takes about 21 days to

break an old habit and develop a new habit.