How to Lose Weight When You Love to Eat

Do you love food? Do you struggle to lose weight because you can’t bear the thought of starving all day long? Believe it or not, you don’t have to go hungry to lose weight. Deprivation diets are out; healthful, delicious meal plans are in!

To lose weight and keep it off, you simply need to adjust what and how much you are eating. Okay, you love food. Don’t we all? But loving something and overdosing on it are two different things. Below are a few easy ideas for creating a healthy eating plan that you will love - and it will love you right back in the form of better health and a lighter weight:

1) Raise your food standards.

If you typically eat a lot of “junk” foods like highly processed, high sugar, high sodium, high fat foods, you can create a phenomenal change in your body by simply replacing most of them with “real” foods.  Whole, natural foods like lean meat, beans, fresh vegetables, fruit, and whole grains.  Cut out as much white sugar and sodium as you can.  Reduce your intake of sweetened beverages and replace them with water.  You will notice one major thing immediately: you can eat a lot more whole foods and still lose weight!

See: 10 Tips for Healthy Eating: Painless and Delicious!

2) Save indulgences for your favorites.

It’s okay to indulge here and there - but make sure it’s something you REALLY want to eat.  Don’t eat a slice of cheesecake just because everyone else is eating it, especially if cheesecake isn’t your favorite dessert.  If you’re going to indulge, at least make it worthwhile by choosing something you really, really enjoy eating.  Take your time eating it, enjoying every delicious bite, and stopping when you feel satisfied (which may be long before your plate is empty!).

See: How French Women Stay Thin

3) Eat for physical hunger.

One of the most common reasons people become overweight is because they begin feeding their body excessive portions of food.  They forget how to listen to their body’s natural hunger cues, and to stop eating when their body says, “enough”.  Start reconnecting with these hunger and satiety signals by listening for them.  Pay attention to how your body feels when you are legitimately hungry, as opposed to just craving something to eat.  Notice how your stomach gradually transitions from grumbling and hollow to satisfied and comfortable as you eat slowly - and stop eating before you get to the feeling of “full”.

See: Are You Really Hungry? 3 Ways to Unscramble the Signals

It’s very easy to lose weight by making small changes like these, even if you love to eat.  We all love to eat; we just don’t need to eat as much as we think we do.  Eat less, eat better, and you’ll notice an improvement not just in your weight and body size, but in your energy levels, mental clarity, moods, and overall health and well-being.

Must Read
How Eating More Often Can Help You Lose Weight
3 Mind Tricks to Overcome Food Temptations
7 Ways to Boost Your Weight Loss Willpower