Tip #7 -- Watch Your Calories and Where They Come From

Most Americans eat way too much food. Our portion sizes are huge and loaded with a surplus of sugar and fat. Moderation is the key, but that is easier said than done. In this “super-sized” era, many people no longer have any idea what moderation is. Try eating off your lunch sized plates, even at dinner. Eat out less, and prepare your own food more often. Get a small cooler, and pack your lunch and snacks for the day! The word snack is not synonymous with junk food. Your snacks should be more like mini balanced meals. Avoid fried foods, full fat dairy products, butter, margarine, regular mayonnaise, sweets, beer, wine, liquor, and regular salad dressing. Do not give yourself a “cheat” day each week. It is completely possible to sabotage a whole week’s worth of work in one bad day. If you are a normal healthy individual, a few “cheat” days per year are reasonable, but more is absolutely not okay.