A Fresh Start

Uuugh. I fell off the wagon this weekend. I dove into a great big bag of Halloween candy and didn't come up for air until every single, solitary morsel was gone. I knew those almond-filled chocolate bars were not going to make their way into the local ghosts' and goblins' hands when I bought the bag. But I just couldn't help myself.

Afterwards, I was left with a big ol' chocolate-rimmed smile, but it was a fleeting joy -- the sheer horror of stepping onto my scale tonight turned that chocolate-high-induced grin right into a grimace! I have two options: eat the rest of the candy in the house because, obviously, I've blown this week; or get back on track! As tempting as it is to give in to a binge, I've decided to get back on course in my weight loss efforts. If you've drifted away from the direct path to your weight loss goal lately, join me as we take a look at some ways to ease yourself back into living like a "loser"!

Television and Temptation
We're not just talking about those commercials for the latest $1 hamburger at the fast food joint around the corner! Didn't you hate it when your mom called the television "the boob tube" as if you were a complete idiot for watching it so much? Turns out she was on to something... at least when it comes to the part of our brain that tells us enough is enough. When we tune in to the "X-Files" marathons on Tuesday and Wednesday nights (or whatever your TV addiction might be!) and sit down with some munchies, it's a virtual feeding frenzy.

Research has shown that we automatically exaggerate portions when we snack in front of the television, especially on the foods we tend to overdo anyway like straight-out-of the bag potato chips, powdered donuts, buttered popcorn... (All those delicious treats that just happen to be high in fat and sugar that go with TV so well!) Do yourself a favor and portion out a single serving of your favorite treat into a snack bag and allow yourself only that serving during prime time.

Stave off Hunger
A sure-fire way to fail in your re-dedication to weight loss is to skip meals or eat so little during the day that you allow yourself to become super-hungry by nightfall. When you don't eat well-balanced meals during the day or forgo them entirely you will end up so famished by the time you do eat that you're far more likely to binge. A reliable way to keep your appetite from getting out of control is to incorporate good sources of protein into your meals:

• Breakfast will stick with you until lunch if you include cottage cheese, eggs or yogurt.
• Working poultry into lunch will keep you away from the vending machine mid-afternoon. Perhaps a turkey sandwich with lots of veggies on the side or add sliced grilled chicken to a salad with reduced-fat dressing.
• At dinnertime, making lean meat or fish your entreé will fill you up and prevent the midnight munchies from sneaking up on you.
• Legumes are a great side dish for lengthening any meal's staying power.
• Snacks serve up a protein punch with yogurt, legumes or peanut butter.