In today’s super-size world, overeating is a major cause of the expanding waistline. So how do you tame your appetite and shrink your waistline? Enjoying food — not shunning it — is the answer.
“We’re so focused on getting rid of fat that we forget the positive and pleasurable aspects of eating,” says Julie Waltz Kembel, a behavioral counselor at Canyon Ranch in Tucson. And that can lead to overeating. Many people force themselves to eat steamed vegetables and plain broiled chicken night after night, explains Kembel. “So it’s no surprise that they crave intensely flavored foods such as pizza to break the monotony.”
Instead, try herbs, spices, and low-fat sauces to excite your tastebuds. Prepare poultry with a glaze of jalapeño pepper jelly or add chili or cranberry sauce to chicken sandwiches. And don’t forget your eyes. They “taste” food long before it ever hits the palate. And you can bet that a plate of white cauliflower, white grilled chicken breast, and white rice is as boring to your tastebuds as it is to your eyeballs. On the other hand, stir-fried broccoli with red peppers, parsleyed rice, and chicken with a chunky papaya sauce give you a warm, satisfied feeling long before you even take a bite. For more ideas, check out “Fat-Blasting Recipes” later in this article.
But just because you’re eating healthfully doesn’t mean you can eat as much as you want — calories do count. Here’s how to keep yourself from overeating.
