Helpful Hints for a Healthy Weight

Most people consider losing weight a difficult proposition. Few folks have the time or interest to count calories or fat grams. Others have no patience for restrictive diets or complex dietary regimens.

But you can lose a significant amount of weight by making small changes in your eating habits that don't require record keeping or a food scale.

Use the following tips to help you shed unwanted pounds.

Healthful habits

• Prepare a healthful shopping list before you go to the supermarket, and stick to the list.

• Confine your meals to the dining room or kitchen table.

• Pour a reasonable portion of cookies, chips or crackers onto a plate or into a bowl instead of eating directly out of a box or bag.

• Freeze leftovers immediately so you can't raid the refrigerator later.

• Drinking water helps you feel full faster and longer and also helps your body digest food.

• Limit alcohol consumption. Alcohol is packed with calories, but no nutrients. Also, it increases appetite and weakens your willpower to avoid the wrong food choices.

• Begin lunch or dinner with a broth-based hot soup. It forces you to eat more slowly and fills you up so you don't overeat.

• Eat more slowly. Rushing through meals doesn't give your brain adequate time to register and signal you when you're full.

• When dining out, request sauces and low-calorie dressings be served on the side so you can use as much or as little as you want.

• Never leave home starving when heading out for a restaurant meal. Before you go, eat a light snack, such as a piece of fruit or a carrot, or drink a glass of juice.

• Don't eat while watching TV. Watching the tube instead of your plate can lull you into overeating; so will the food and snack commercials.

• Stick to your own plate. Nibbling off someone else's dish may seem harmless but the calories add up.

• Store tempting treats in opaque containers or foil wrap.

• Choose healthful items if you eat fast food. To do so, avoid fried foods and "super-size" portions.

• Don't go food shopping on an empty stomach. Eat a little something first or you'll be tempted to buy everything in sight.

Cooking light

• If a recipe calls for a quarter-cup of oil, cut that amount in half; your taste buds won't know the difference, but your waistline will.

• Saute foods in chicken stock, low-sodium soy sauce, wine or water instead of fat.

• Broil, bake, roast, boil or stir-fry instead of frying, deep-frying or breading and frying.

• Use nonstick pans and a nonstick oil spray to eliminate the oil or butter for sautéing.

• When sauteing with oil, try a flavorful one such as olive oil or sesame oil. You'll need less.

• Add a pinch of grated Parmesan or blue cheese to recipes. You'll add flavor, not calories.

• Substitute mashed bananas, prunes or applesauce for oil when baking.

• Add spice to your meals instead of fat. Fresh herbs perk up any dish without adding calories. Experiment with different ethnic foods and seasonings; they're often full of flavor, not fat.