Eating Tips

Weight gain occurs when the amount of food you eat is more than your body needs. Excess calories from food is stored as fat and consequently weight gain occurs.

In order to maintain your weight and facilitate weight loss, most people need to eat less and exercise more.

Here are some tips on controlling weight:

1. Healthy diet for weight loss

A healthy weight loss diet should provide you with all the essential nutrients your body needs and give you the feeling of fullness for long periods of time. This is useful in resisting temptations to overeat or to eat sugary foods.

2. Regular exercise

Regular exercise is essential in any weight loss program. Exercising means your body will burn off more calories, creating a negative caloric intake which results in weight loss or a halt in weight gain.

3. Eat from a smaller plate

Using a smaller plate means you can't put as much food on it, therefore you would be eating less calories. It also has the benefit of making your food portions look bigger than they really are.

4. Eat slowly and thoroughly chew each mouthful of food

When we eat, our stomachs expand and trigger nerves to tell your brain that you're full. This signal is a relatively slow and eating slowly will allow enough time for the transmission of these signals. This practice will help prevent overeating.

5. Eat small amounts of food regularly instead of large meals

Eating large meals has the disadvantage of making you feel tired after eating. Another disadvantage is that the large amount of calories is more likely to be stored as fat rather than used as energy. Eating small amounts of food more regularly, like "grazing", allows more of the food to be used as energy and less to be stored as fat.

6. Eat your smallest meal at night

Your metabolism is at its slowest at night time, particularly when you are asleep. Eating your smallest meal at night will prevent supplying your body with too many calories when it is not burning many calories. This practice will reduce excess calories being stored as fat.

7. Use a list when grocery shopping

Supermarkets and food packaging are designed to make you buy things on impulse. You can avoid "impulse buying" by using a shopping list. Using shopping lists will reduce over spending, over buying and consequently, over eating.

8. Avoid grocery shopping when hungry

Buying your groceries on an empty stomach can result in a over filled kitchen pantry and fridge. People tend to buy more food when they're hungry or buy sugary or fatty foods. Do your grocery shopping after you have eaten to avoid buying too much or buying the wrong types of foods. This will save you money and help keep the extra weight off.

9. Avoid eating after 8 p.m. when the metabolism is very slow

Your body's metabolism slows down during the evening. This is usually because people are less active during the evening and at night. Metabolism is at its slowest during sleep, meaning the minimum amount of calories will be burned when you're asleep. Calories from "midnight snacks" is more likely be stored as fat rather than being used as energy.

10. If eating out, eat a little less that day and the day afterwards

Balancing your caloric intake doesn't mean you can't go out to eat at restaurants. Balance your food intake by eating a little less during the day you are going out, and the day afterwards.

11. Limit alcohol

Alcohol can increase weight gain as many alcoholic drinks are often high in calories, especially beer. Alcohol also affects your insulin levels, contributing to the insulin response and resulting in hunger pains or sugar cravings.

12. Weight loss supplements

Weight loss supplements can be used in conjunction with a healthy diet and regular exercise to assist in weight loss. They are not a complete solution but an aid to help you reach your weight goals.


The information provided is intended solely for general information and is NOT to replace advice from your physician or other medical professionals and should NOT be relied upon for any diagnosis, treatment or cure. Always check with your doctor before starting any new drug, alternative, natural or herbal treatments and supplements.