Getting started on your easy stepsAnyone who has ever tried dieting knows the immediate feeling of deprivation that accompanies most weight loss plans. The result for most of us is that we can't stick to it.Instead of drastically cutting your diet, try gradually accustoming yourself to eating less. Take smaller portions. Leave a little on the plate. In time, you'll find you need less food to feel satiated.As you practice putting less on your plate, consider these seven steps to eating less (the following list is taken from Mr. Paul Wolf, health correspondent, and we highly recommend it):Mini-meal is the operative wordIdeally, every time you eat, your plate should have some protein, a little fat and a little fibrous bulk to ensure that you feel full and satisfied. This takes some planning. It ultimately means losing the "mindlessly munching on pretzels" habit."Even if you eat fruit as a snack, healthy as it is, you won't feel completely satisfied because it doesn't have any protein and fat," Booth says.An apple followed by, say, some plain yogurt, will do more for satiety than two apples. A baked potato, which has 100 calories, contributes more to satisfaction than 20 potato chips, which, at 114 calories, adds up quickly. Top that spud with a quarter-cup of low-fat cottage cheese (100 calories), and you have a filling, healthy snack for 200 calories.Don't deprive yourselfYou don't want to feel deprived or hungry; drastically cutting calories will only slow down your metabolism by driving your system into famine mode.Don't count calories; just eyeball your portions. Let's say you hope to reduce your daily caloric intake from about 2,500 to 2,000. Focus on reducing your portion sizes by about 20 percent.Within a matter of a couple of weeks, you will be adjusted to the new serving sizes and they will seem normal.Eat delicious and wellEvery diet regimen should permit the occasional treat and nice meal out. Eat delicious food, but eat it in smaller portions.Obviously, cream sauces and fudge brownies at every meal will thwart your weight loss goals. Learn to enjoy ordinary food as well as extraordinary delicacies.Eat your calories, don't drink themA can of Dr. Pepper soda contains 150 calories. Three of these a day is an extra 450 calories. If you add commercial beverages, juices and sugary lattes to your diet, you practically need a calculator to tally the calories that don't do a thing when it comes to fulfilling your appetite.Stick to water and tea and get your calories from more filling and satisfying foods.Exercise is the perfect partnerYour diet will be all the more successful if you combine it with regular exercise.Approach your exercise and diet plan with a focus on how you look and feel, not how much you weigh. In other words, think in inches lost, not pounds. Remember that muscle weighs more than fat.Make meals lastYes, two Balance protein bars have only 360 calories and also contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, fat, and carbohydrates. But you can down these suckers in a matter of seconds. Where's the chewing satisfaction? A couple of nutrition bars are not a meal or even a mini-meal for that matter.The satiety centers of the brain may not get the message right away that you've had enough. Eat slowly, chew carefully and don't put more food in your mouth when you haven't dealt completely with the last biteRead more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/05/18/7-easy-steps-weight-loss/#ixzz1MorXVCgX
