| 1. | Choose foods with clear serving sizes and calorie counts. Divide multiple-servings items into individual sizes before eating. Ex: Divide a bag of chips into serving-size baggies, label with calories. Get a food scale so you can divide by ounces or grams. |
| 2. | Have a wide selection of food choices on hand that are ready to eat or quickly prepared. Foods you LIKE to eat (not what you think you SHOULD eat - you won't). Have snacks of various calorie amounts available. Keep a list on the fridge that includes calorie counts. |
| 3. | Have a late afternoon snack to keep dinner calories in check. Avoid being overly hungry at mealtimes. |
| 4. | Work any food cravings into diet. Figure portion size and calorie count. If possible, use already-prepared single-serving-sized entrees when eating 'trigger' foods such as pizza and cheesy pasta dishes. |
| 5. | Make sure good-quality protein is included in a least one meal a day, preferably all meals. Don't 'waste' calories on foods you don't really want. |
| 6. | All foods are permitted! Two no calorie-counting cheat meals a month, preferably restaurant meals or 'single-event' meals (such as Thanksgiving or a Wedding dinner or picnic). A cheat meal would be a good time to split that super deluxe pizza with your spouse. You know you will sooner or later anyway. Plan it as a cheat meal with no guilt! KEEP A FOOD DIARY. |