• Eat only when hungry
• If eating at home, take smaller portions than usual; wait 20 minutes before having seconds to ensure your need for more food
• When eating out, chose between an appetizer/bread basket OR dessert
• When snacking, take out the amount of food you will consume and put the container away before you start eating
• Eat smaller, more-frequent meals to avoid becoming extremely hungry between meals; this can lead to impulse eating and compromised food decisions
• Strive to include at least one non-starchy fruit or vegetable serving in every meal or snack (Ex: apple, orange, baby carrots, side salad, grapes, cumber, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, or a pear)
• Choose whole grains over white grains; these are more nutritious and satisfying
• Limit beverages with empty calories, such as soda, juice drinks and alcohol
• Get plenty of sleep. Studies indicate that sleep loss increases hormones such as cortisol, growth hormone and insulin, which can promote fat storage

How can I continue to change my eating habits?

You have learned your eating habits over time. Therefore, you likely have not changed all of your unhealthy habits overnight. Continue to focus on one goal at a time. Train yourself to eat without doing anything else at the same time. Focus on trying to eat slowly. Also, strive to incorporate variety in your fruit and vegetable selection. This will help your body maintain efficiency during exercise and burn the maximum amount of calories each day.

What's so bad about high-sugar and high-fat foods occasionally?

Fat has more than twice the calories of carbohydrates and protein. Our bodies more easily use fat calories to make body fat, compared with calories from carbohydrates or proteins. Increased amounts of sugar in your diet, even on an inconsistent basis, may confuse your appetite, not letting it tell you when you're full.

Why is skipping meals not helpful?

Skipping meals may yield short-term weight loss but it backfires in the long run. Your body will likely get very hungry and frustrated, causing you to eat too much at once. You may also become accustomed to skipping meals, resulting in hunger at nontraditional mealtimes.