How to NOT Eat When You're NOT Hungry and Lose Weight

Seems like everyone is trying to lose weight. We all know that cutting calories is key. It's hard to resist food when you're hungry. But what about when you're NOT hungry? What then?

Instructions

1

TALK TO YOURSELF

If you're like many of us, you already talk to yourself. But mostly that's the kind that sounds like "Why did I come in here? What was I getting? Where are my keys?" You know.

This kind of talking to yourself is about thinking about your own thinking. Making yourself more aware of what goes on in your own head and trying to alter your "self-talk."

When you find yourself reaching for your favorite treat (or that plate of kids mac and cheese that you don't even really LIKE for Heaven's sake!) ask yourself what's behind the desire. Am I hungry? It's just SHOCKING when you do this to find out how many times you go to eat something - even though you are desperate to lose a little weight - and you're not even hungry! Think about what is motivating you to eat. Are you stressed? Bored? Angry? Tired? Doing this can give you important insight into your own habits which in turn can lead to important behavioral changes that will add up to pounds lost.

2

THIS TOO SHALL PASS

Sometimes the desire to eat the donut is a PASSING thing. If you can get past that 10 minutes or so, you may find you're not craving it the way you were just minutes earlier. So find something to distract yourself. Go for a walk. Make out a grocery list. Call a buddy. Sort through the mail.

3

GUM AND MINTS

Ever notice when you're mouth is minty food just seems less appealing? So use that to you're advantage. Let say you've just finished lunch with friends at a nice little cafe. A couple of the girls (the skinny ones!) are ordering a nice piece of cheesecake. Pop a piece of mint gum in your mouth and you'll be less likely to order one yourself. It can boost your will-power just that TINY LITTLE BIT extra that you need to get past the danger-zone. I didn't say it was easy, but you can beat the cheesecake. The same rule applies for brushing your teeth. Gum is convenient when you're out, obviously, but at home try brushing your teeth.

4

WATER

Sometimes when you're not hungry you just WANT to be eating anyway. You're taking your break at work and everyone's having apiece of yesterday's birthday cake. You're not hungry - you just had an apple a few minutes earlier. But you want to be - I don't know - participating? Weird, I know. Grab some water or other calorie-free beverage. That way you feel you're being social without adding calories. Plus, liquids do help you stay fuller longer!

5

PLAY HEAD GAMES WITH YOURSELF

If you cannot manage to conquer the desire to eat that cannoli try making a deal with yourself. For example, "I'm going to go right now and step on the scale. If I STILL want the cannoli after, I'm going to have it." Or "I'm going to send out that thank you note, then if I STILL want that cannoli I'm going to have it." It's a distraction. You've probably used this technique with your kids when they are obsessing over something. Why not try it with yourself?

6

EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS

It takes about 3,000 to 3,500 calories to put on a pound. So if you can eliminate a couple of hundred calories (and we all know how LITTLE it takes to equal THAT - I'm pretty sure that a stick of celery - sheesh!) you can lose a pound in a week or so. Browse through the many great eHow articles on cutting a few calories here and there and you'll be headed toward reaching that goal at last!