I've just read an interesting item from AHA but I'm not quite agreeing with their advice, entirely.
Here is mine, based on my own experience. Your experience might be different, who knows?
"If I go to a buffet, I just can’t control how much I eat."
Don't rush to fill your plate like you haven' t eaten for days. Anyway, it's not "elegant". If possible: select from the buffet what looks healthier and arrange small portions on your plate, artistically, following the rule: a quarter of the plate some proteins, half the plate veggies and fruits, a quarter of the plate starches or, much better, beans or nuts. Take your time. Eat slowly, don't rush for a second serving, or if you do, try other foods. Better be only proteins and veggies or nuts, the second time, they'll cut hunger.
"I usually grab something on the way home from work because I am so tired, I don’t feel like cooking."
Cooking your meals, if you're not used to do it, it's the most difficult change in your life.
Start simple: salads, stir-fried lean meats, mushrooms, canned beans, canned egg-plant or favorite veggies.
Take your time to shop once a week and fill your fridge with healthy vegetables, fruits, lean meats, low fat cheese a.s.o.
Even if you're dead tired, it takes less than an 1/4 hour to fix a healthy sandwich and a salad. Add a fruit, an yogurt, a handful of nuts.
Then learn to make a soup. Any soup. You can make enough meat and vegetable stock to last a week and use it to prepare quickly soups. Add tomato juice and a handful of cooked pasta or par-boiled rice and you have tomato soup. Or, add a handful of cooked par-boiled rice, an yogurt and a whisked egg and you have a "Greek" soup. Add a bit of spinach and broccoli and you get a "green" soup.
Or don't add anything else, just a squeeze of lemon.
You can learn more recipes, whenever you have the time. Just keep it simple.
"Cravings for sweets and salt is a bit difficult to get rid of, but you can do it in two weeks if you're determined to change your lifestyle." Drinking a glass of water is always good but I doubt it will help with your cravings.
I suggest the South Beach Phase I for sweet or starchy cravings.
It will take 1-3 weeks but IT WORKS.
Cut sugar and sugar replacements from your recipes!
Salt is a different story. First of all, you have to read carefully the labels and skip salty food, at least for a while.
Try to avoid processed meats. No chips - cut them out.
If you're cooking your own meals, change your recipes. Add less and less salt. Replace at least part of the salt with spices and herbs. Lemon juice is a great replacement.
Don't add salt to a green salad, but lemon juice. It'll be more crispy.
"I love dessert. I can’t give it up!"
Oh, yes you can. If after 2 weeks of SB Phase I diet you still can't resist a dessert, always ask for a small portion. Eat verrrryyy slowly and try to stop after three bites. Maybe it'll work :D
Try eating a piece of fruit instead of a "classic" dessert. Once in a while, indulge yourself and don't feel guilty about it.
Once a month in a diet for life isn't quite like a drop in the ocean but it won't fatten you. Take care what else you eat that day and exercise a bit more the next day.
"I don’t like working out. It’s boring."
Oh, come on! What do you want your life to be like when you're old? Or in ten years? I like that Glasbergen cartoon: "What fits your busy schedule better: exercising 1 hour a day or being dead 24 hours a day?"
Of course you can find some exercise and make it less boring. Just walking half an hour a day in fresh air can make the difference. Invest in a music player or a camera or a dog, to make walking more interesting. Invest in a pedometer and compete with others. Try swimming. Any physical activity is better than sitting all day long. "Any" is the magic keyword.
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