Multiply meals, Shrink portions
Eat small meals. Your body needs only a few calories for energy and metabolism. If you eat at regular intervals you are less likely to overeat at night. While partying, offer to bring a healthy, diet-friendly dish to the party. Your host or hostess will appreciate your contribution and you can enjoy the food. Enjoy a big, healthy salad before the meal.
Have lots of water with meals
Drink lots of water (at least eight to ten glasses a day) instead of sodas or mixed drinks as this will help you feel less hungry and thirsty. Eat food with a high water content that will fill you up and help you lose weight. (Examples –tomatoes, cucumber). Avoid standing near refreshments because it is too easy to indulge a few times without considering the fat and calories.
Cut down portion sizes
Control your portions. Small plates are a big help with portion control. If salad plates are available, make them your choice instead of a dinner sized plate. Look at the available choices, hold the plate for a long time and nibble a few edible choices like vegetables, fruits.
Divide before you devour
It is not always what you eat, but how you eat. Pleasure is best when shared. This way your taste buds are satisfied, portion size decreased and calorie intake reduced. Eat so that you enjoy each bite.
Focus on socialisation
While partying, focus on friendship and socialising rather than food. Fill the evening with conversation and meaningful interactions. Walking around and visiting with other guests is a benefit for dieters. If friends are pressurising you to indulge, the best way to respond is to be firm and positive. Rather than saying you can’t or shouldn’t have, say you aren’t hungry and it’s not your favourite. They can’t argue with that.
Schedule your exercise routine
Make exercise an important part of your daily life. Plan your workout in your daily planner and write it down so that you are more likely to maintain the schedule. Find an exercise trainer or a workout partner to help you stay committed.
Separate food from television
Eating, napping, channel surfing-if these consume most of your leisure hours, you will end up gaining weight. Make healthy and light food choices to manage weight. Examples – choose egg white instead of the whole egg, whole-grain instead of refined products, skim milk instead of whole milk etc.
Take breaks to deep breathe
Do you binge eat when you are bored, angry or tense? Decide to do something else to take your mind off food. Relax and take several deep breaths. This will help you distinguish between actual hunger and eating due to emotional responses.
Reward yourself
Book yourself a relaxing body/foot massage you enjoy or buy yourself an outfit that looks good on you. The key to staying happy after all that planning and putting together the time and effort to maintain weight is to reward all your efforts. This will help you stick to your fitness regimen and will help you when you go off-track.