10 Convenient Ways to Eat Less and Lose Weight (Without Putting Yourself in Agony)

The major reason why most people give up trying to be on a diet is that it makes them hungry and unhappy! But the truth is they feel that way because they mix up fasting with healthy eating. Being on a diet does not necessarily mean you have to torture yourself by eating like a bird and totally omitting your favorite decadent foods. In this article, I'm going to talk about 10 easy tricks that can help you eat less and lose weight without even feeling like you are on a diet at all.

1. Fridge Philosophy

Don't overstuff your refrigerator. Most people tend to eat much more food than their bodies need, not because they're hungry, but because the food is there! Imagine your fridge as your body; the more food you put in it, the more calories your body will likely gain. Now don't get me wrong. I don't mean you should keep only two stalks of celery and one little bag of baby carrots in your fridge. Encouraging people to starve is not what I'm trying to do. Just do things moderately. Keep your refrigerator not too packed, not too barren. Put healthy low-calorie foods at the front of your fridge, and keep the decadent fatty ones at the back.

Always make a list before you go to buy grocery. This way you can control your diet better. According to Time Magazine, 70% of people who don't make a list when they go shopping end up getting tons of extra stuff. Allow yourself to add only one or two high-calorie items to your list, but the majority of the items should be non-fattening ones. Try to avoid red meat and substitute it with chicken, turkey or fish.

Cooking your own food is a fun and smart thing to do, especially if you live in America. A recent study finds that restaurants in America serve bigger portions of food than restaurants in any other countries. In France, for example, people eat foods that are so rich in fat but only 7% of the French are obese, whereas in the U.S. 22% of Americans suffer from obesity. Why? Because restaurants in France serve smaller portions of food and accordingly, people eat less. Another upside of cooking your own food is that you can really watch what you eat; you can choose to use extra lean meat, make sure all the vegetables are clean, and avoid too much grease in your food, etc.

Although I encourage you to cook your own food, I also understand that for some of you who have such a busy lifestyle, it is unpractical and almost impossible to spend your time cooking. So here are some tips on how to eat less when you go to a restaurant.

• Order the smallest portion they serve.
• Ask for a doggie bag and package half of your meal even before you start eating.
• And say goodbye to buffet restaurants.

Have you ever wondered why Asians are so slender? Well, I'm Asian and I can tell you that it's not because of our genes, but our foods. Most Asian cuisines use low-calorie foods such as rice, fish and vegetables as the main ingredients, and that's how we stay thin. Next time you are about to grab a burger, maybe you want to reconsider your choice of lunch and go eat some Pad Thai or sushi instead. A bowl of rice noodles can make you feel full and satisfied just like a Big Mac does, but gives your body much less calories to burn.

To prevent yourself from feeling hungry during the day and ending up gobbling a huge dinner, you should eat healthy snacks every few hours. Eating small portions several times a day is better than devouring tons of food all in one meal.

Some Recommended Healthy Snacks

• Fruits
• Raw vegetables with a light dip
• Popcorn (no extra butter)
• Nuts/sunflower seeds
• Granola bars
• Sorbet

Never underestimate the power of water. Drinking a lot of water gives our body many health advantages. As for people who are trying to lose weight, the best advantage from water is that it's a natural appetite suppressant. Your brain can easily mix up hunger with thirst. Sometimes when you think you are hungry, your body may actually be asking for just some water. Don't let your thirst lead you to overeating. Drink about 6 - 8 large glasses of water everyday. If you hate drinking plain water so much, drink juices, smoothies or diet soda instead.

It takes about 15 minutes for the signals from your stomach to travel to your brain and announce, "Hey! I'm full." So if you wolf down bite after bite in rapid succession, you will likely beat the slow signals, eat much more food than your body needs and end up with a bloated stomach. Try to chew your food slowly and enjoy a nice conversation with your friends or family while eating. Eating slowly also allows you to relish the taste, texture and aroma of your food better than just swallowing everything in 5 minutes.

My 10 little tips are not too difficult to do, aren't they? Lastly I would like to remind you that the most important key to effective weight loss is your own willpower. Don't just try something half way through and give up because it does not work as quickly as you expect. Eating less will surely help you lose weight, but maybe not so fast. In order to lose weight faster, you will also have to exercise.