Secrets of Success

satisfying a snack attack

After dinner if I want something sweet, I have Healthy Choice frozen yogurt. Better than ice cream and 100 calories for a pre measured cup.

Lipton Green tea with super fruit

Drink this tea during the day. It fills me up and tastes good without anything in it. It comes in many different flavors.

Water Before Meals

Before each meal drink a full glass of water or more if you can. It helps me feel full and reduces my urge to snack especially if I drink while I'm preparing a meal.

Eat less meat & more veggies without knowing it!

An easy way to save calories and get your vegetables without even knowing.

Eat more fruits and veggies

We used to be a family that for dinner we had a main course of meat, a veggie, and a carb side dish. Since beginning this I have discovered if I can cut back on my carb side dish and filling it up with fresh veggies, I feel so much better! I consume fewer calories, I get the vitamins and minerals that my body needs, and I feel healthier and get sick less!

Instead of the baked fries go for some baked broccoli or baked cauliflower! Instead of a granola bar for a snack go for an apple!

Protein is important!

I hadn't noticed until I started Spark People that I was eating next to no protein! I was tired and felt hungry all the time. It was a challenge to add enough protein to my diet to meet my minimum daily requirement, but once I did I've never felt better. I feel full longer, have more energy and stamina, and my body just seems to work better.

soup

I try to make a huge pot of homemade soup - my favorite is chicken white bean soup. I eat it fresh that night and freeze the rest in family portions so if I am running late or have nothing ready - I can just thaw this in warm water in minutes for a happy healthy dinner!!!!

Hunger/satiety chart

Use the hunger/satiety chart to evaluate at what hunger level to eat, when to stop eating. This really helped me realize that I was not eating enough at meals, which caused me to snack more often. Get full to the point of "pleasurably full." You'll eat fewer snacks!

healthy snacks that fill you up

I'm sure everyone has heard it before but this works! Every snack should include some carbs, some protein, and a little fat. My favorite is 5 celery sticks and 2 T of hummus. It really does help to fill you up between meals!

Whole Foods

It's been an eye opener realising that by choosing whole foods you actually stay fuller for longer, not there yet but I am trying to make my food intake as less processed as can be or at least to know that it is made from honest ingredients and not a lot of e numbers. The so called low fat claims are ones to watch out for as well, how about that!? They are full of sugar or artificial stuff and that can't be good for you, right?!