"Enjoy your food, but eat less."

In order to reverse the trend of obesity and overweight and improve their overall health, many Americans need to eat less than they currently do. Eating less does not have to mean giving up your favorite foods, but it does mean watching how much of them you eat. The following tips can help when making changes to balance the way we eat:

• Start the day off right. People who eat breakfast appear to be better able to keep their weight where they want it and change it if they need.

• Limit screen time – especially when eating. This is particularly true in children, but the distraction can make even adults lose touch with how much we are eating. Remember that televisions aren’t the only screens to watch out for – computers, video games, tablets and even phones will all keep us sitting still and eating more than we intended.

• Watch your portions. We tend to eat and drink more when presented with larger portions. Start with smaller portions of your usual food and drinks and only go back for seconds if you are actually hungry when you are done. For many the answer isn’t giving up your favorite foods, just eating less of them.

• Keep track. As busy as we are, many of us find it hard to remember what we had for our last meal. This lapse in memory can make balancing your intake for the day difficult.

 

If keeping an old fashion journal isn’t right for you, consider an electronic one on your computer or phone.

 

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