Happy 4th of July Weekend!

A lot of people are off for the long weekend so I figured I’d give you some tips on how to deal with the extended weekend which means another day without structure.

People always ask me what my top tip for losing weight is. And it’s always the same answer:

Eat less. And move more.

It’s that simple. (HA!)

Let’s explore the eating less part of the equation, though.

Most people think about food often. Whether it’s a company luncheon or a BBQ, many of us use food as an escape.

The interesting part is that those who think about food all of the time – don’t actually think about it while they’re eating. Instead, they’re just shoveling food into their mouths.

Instead of tasting and actually eating and chewing it.

When someone eats a pint of ice cream there’s no way they’re tasting every spoonful. They’re just eating mindlessly or emotionally.

Here are some tricks for you to think about this weekend:

1. Put down your fork or knife after every bite. Sandwich? Put the sandwich down. It takes 20 minutes for our mind to realize we’ve eaten. That’s why when we eat quickly we still feel hungry. Slow it down! What’s the rush?

2. Drink a sip of water in between every bite.

3. The most important step of all – savor every bite of food. Taste and chew each and every bite. Feel the texture. Taste the veggies. See how much more fresh your salad tastes! Pretend you’re a food critic.

4. Focus on how you feel! If you really pay attention while doing all of the above you’ll realize you don’t need nearly as much food as you think you do. And you’ll be full before you expected.

5. Focus on the food. When you’re watching TV, or hanging with friends and family, it’s very easy to forget about all of the above. So try to only eat when you’re sitting. Make it sort of a ritual. Don’t eat on the go. Stop and sit down. Put a napkin next to your plate. The more you can ritualize your food experience – the more chances you’ll have to realize what it is you’re actually doing. Conscious eating is the goal – not mindless eating.

6. If you’re going to a BBQ, a party, etc., wear something a little tighter than usual. If you have a lot of room in your clothes you won’t feel your belly expanding. And you also won’t want to make yourself feel overly stuffed by eating too much.

7. Exercise before you go out. Your chances of exercise decrease significantly as the day progresses on weekends. Get it done first thing in the morning and feel amazing!

8. Keep pace with the slowest eater at the table. That’s right. Find someone to pace you.

9. Stop being a finisher! If you’re not hungry anymore – stop eating. It’s okay. Really! Your eating isn’t going to save any kids across the Atlantic (unfortunately). It’s only going to make you feel more full and less happy.

10. Have fun! But remember – it’s not entirely about food. It’s about laughing and Interacting. And when it is about food – slooowww it down.

Enjoy your weekend! And if you follow these rules you’ll enjoy it even more so!

Who doesn’t want to do that?

Because as much fun as eating poorly is, it’s even more fun to eat healthfully.

Many people feel so in control during the day but when nighttime comes it’s very hard for them to not overeat.

Overeating is simply a way for us to change the way we feel. Or more so numb how we feel so we don’t have to feel it. The only way to overcome overeating is to let yourself feel.

I think night time is the time many of us overeat because it’s the first chance we actually have all day to feel. However, if nighttime eating isn’t your thing, this still applies.

It’s important to ask yourself some questions at night (or whenever).

Here are some to get you started:

What does the nighttime represent to you?

Are you lonely?

Do you wish you were with a lover?

Are you dreading another day of work?

Are you overwhelmed by the stuff all around you?

Are you extremely bored?

Are you not intellectually challenged?

Do you have a significant other/spouse that makes you feel even more lonely because you don’t connect with them in a way that you want to be?

If you want to crack the code on why you overeat at night start asking yourself these questions.

Here’s the deal though: Deep down we may know (even though we might not want to know) the real reason. And if you don’t, asking these questions will help you.

For a lot of people making big life changes is terrifying. I hear you! Change is absolutely 1000% scary.

But if you’re going to ’stick it out’ whatever it is and choose (because it is a choice) unhappiness over uncertainty here’s my advice:

Make the best of your situation and accept it.

But don’t fight reality. A reality that’s in your control to change.

Because you can change it. Or you can make the best of it. But complaining is just useless.

Start thinking about these and if you need some help, I am here for you, as always!

Super Bowl Sunday has practically become a National holiday here. Over 100 million people watch the game (or the commercials) globally and more junk and food is consumed today than any other day. The pizza industry estimates 350 slices of pizza will be eaten per second during the game.

So here are some tips and tricks to help you eat better today.

I’m going to preface this as I always do: I’m not saying eating junk isn’t fun. All I’m saying is that eating healthfully is way more fun!

1. Finishers. We love finishing things! That’s why it’s so hard to leave things on our plate; like the last few bites we don’t even want. Our clue that we are done eating is that our plates are clean.

The game plan: Use smaller plates, dishes and glasses. We drink more from a wider glass than a taller glass so use taller glasses instead of wider ones.

2. Never Forget. There was a great study in which one group of people ate chicken wings and the bones were kept in front of them. In the other group, the plates were cleared every 15 minutes or so. Who do you think ate less? The group who saw all of the bones. You can do the same with alcohol. Always serve new glasses and be sure to leave the old glasses out and the bottles, too!

The game plan: Keep all of your bones and food remains on your plate. Do not throw ‘em out. Keep all of your cans and bottles too.

3. Stop reaching. Always pour or put the snack into something. Otherwise, the hand always reaches into that bag. Having endless portions in front of you is a sure fire way to overeat.

4. Less is more. The first bite is always the best so just reduce your portions. In general, when food is out of your sight – it’s out of your mind because the more we’re cued, the more emotion and billions of dollars of advertising are at work.

5. Are you actually hungry? Remember: Companies spend tens of millions of dollars advertising because it works. In fact, it can work instantly. Many of the commercials are for food and alcohol.

The game plan: As much fun as the commercials are, maybe, it’s not a good idea for you to watch them. Stand up. Stretch. Help out in the kitchen. Besides, the best commercials will be all over TV and the internet in the coming weeks.

6. Double fist. Not necessarily alcohol but any beverage. I know this tip is a little ridiculous but it just might work. Double fisting means holding a can (or bottle) of beer (who says we can’t make it anything though?) in each hand. If you’re always holding something in each hand, you can’t eat!

7. Eat with your non-dominant hand. It takes 20 minutes to digest and realize the affects of the food we ate. Hence, you keep eating when you are no longer even hungry.

The game plan: Make it harder to eat. Use chop sticks. Eat with your other hand (and laugh a lot!). Try pacing yourself with the slowest eater.

8. Distractions. If you eat while you watch TV, or do anything in addition to eating, you’re going to eat more. Smell the grass. Live in the moment. Taste your food! Pretend you’re a food critic.

9. The health halo. Watch out for Subway or any other healthy eateries. Most people, because they think they are eating healthfully, will eat a lot more. The calories will add up and before you know it, you’re ‘healthy’ meal is not so healthy!

10. Groups: When you are with 1 other person you’ll eat 35% more, with a group of 4 it’s 75% more and with 7 or more it’s 96% more!

The game plan: Put whatever it is you’re eating down after each bite. Only take another bite once you’re done chewing the previous bite. Take a sip of water in between each bite.

11. Don’t call it a comeback. Towards the end of the game, you might find yourself just eating to eat. Are you really still hungry? If you’re not hungry but choose to eat anyway — say out loud, “I’m not hungry but I’m going to eat this anyway!” (Or at least say it to yourself.) This helps to wake you up because many times we’re just eating to eat.

12. Make it harder! If you’re having your own party, only serve in the kitchen. Being able to roll over and grab more food is going to make it very easy to eat a lot.

The game plan: If you’re at a party, do not ask anyone to get you anything. Get up. Stand up. And get your own food.

13. Wear tight, tight pants! It’s a lot easier to stop eating when you know you’re full. One telltale clue is when your clothes and belt starts telling you. Sounds obvious, but stopping when you’re full is probably one of the hardest things to do, especially when everyone else is helping themselves to seconds and thirds.

The game plan: Wear very tight pants because then you’ll have to stop eating when you’re stuffed. You’ll just be too uncomfortable otherwise.

14. To drink or not to drink? Is alcohol a trigger? Our irrational mind tends to get a lot louder after a few drinks. Alcoholic drinks are not only loaded with calories but they are likely to lower your inhibitions and might trigger you to eat more than you really want to.

The game plan: Don’t drink tonight and the Body Tutor on your shoulder might just be a little louder than the devil on your other shoulder.

15. Focus on the special stuff. Don’t waste your calories on large portions of food you can eat every day. Limit the variety you have.

The game plan: Only two items on your plate at any one time. Having a lot of different items on your plate stimulates your appetite.

16. Is it worth it? Ask yourself, “Is this really worth it” before you dig in. Many times, we’re just eating food simply because it’s available.

17. The easiest tip of all! Eat before the game! If you have a wonderful meal before the game, you’ll be a lot less tempted to eat during the game!

18. Perfection doesn’t exist! Most importantly, and this is somewhat counterintuitive, don’t sweat it if you make a dietary mistake or two or three.

Just like any other day, Super Bowl Sunday will have its ups and downs too. There is no perfect day much less perfect Super Bowl Sunday.

As always, if you’re consistent with your diet (and exercise) for the other 364 days you should be in great shape. If you’re not, I guarantee it’s because you’re not staying consistent with your diet and/or exercise.

Go Saints!

A client writes, “Wow, it’s hard to not want to let it all go and figure I can start anew in January. There are so many temptations! So many rationalizations! I just have to focus on one meal at a time.”

Here’s a solution: Instead of focusing on what you can’t eat, focus on what you can. Instead of focusing on eating perfectly MBT approved foods, focus on eating MBT approved foods 90% of the day.

I’m not saying you should give in. I’m not saying you should indulge.

But if the discomfort you’re facing is unbearable, why not pick and choose?

When I say discomfort, I’m referring to the internal chatter many of us have. “Should I have this? I shouldn’t have this! I want it though! I don’t want it!” That dialogue is not fun. And many times, we just give in to silence that chatter. Not because we want what we think we want!

For the next week or so, what if you focused instead on only picking one indulgence per day?

Then you can play the game of choosing what you indulge on and you won’t feel deprived. But remember, only one per day. So make sure it’s really interesting and it’s really worth it.

Don’t just give in because it’s in front of you.

Sometimes, picking and choosing your battles is much better than avoidance. Damage control is very powerful. Because if you expect to indulge, you’ll get away from the ‘all or nothing’ attitude many of us have, especially during this time of year.

Anyway we look at it, our body never lies. Eating 1 cookie is better than 2. Eating 1 hamburger is better than 2. Many of us get into this thinking that while we’re indulging, nothing counts and our body doesn’t register anything we eat.

Doing less of the bad things is as powerful as doing more of the good things.