Top tips for dieting, healthy snacks, receipes, anything that helped really

[Glassofwine]

It's January so of course I am on a diet, but not a set one as such, just healthy eating. I wondered if you lovely ladies had any tips, receipes etc. One of the things I find hard is to stop myself from grazing on lovely carbs snacks through the day and chocolate at night. Any ideas would be most appreciated as it's about time there was less of me.

I'm trying again too.

This week, I've had more chopped up carrots than you can shake a stick at, but it's helped me just to have lots in and a tub of hummous (not too much though). I've found them good for snacking on and they help stave off the hunger pangs, and better for me than the carb snacks I'm so used to.

As for chocolate at night, the only way for me is to not have it in the house at all. Make sure you eat a decent low fat, but filling meal in the evening so you don't feel like having anything else afterwards. Keep a glass of water in easy reach all the time - having a drink can help take the mind off those empty calories. (What am I saying???!!! ) Not sure if that's true, but a glass of water every tme you want chocolate won't do you any harm, that's for sure!

bump - anyone else?

Porridge for breakfast seems to work for me, fills me up until lunch! have heard that sniffing peppermint works if you find yourself reaching for a snack, tho myself have been doing the odd bit of grazing on yoghurt raisens!

I find that not having anything in the house that I might snack on really helps so we have no biscuits, sweets, choccie or cakes etc. I fill the fridge and fruit bowl with healthy things I like so that when I feel like a snack I can still have something nice. I quite often have sliced tomatoe and cucumber with a little bit of low fat cream cheese on melba toasts as an evening snack. Low fat natural yoghurt with some fresh fruit added is nice as is fruit salad which you can make up in a larger amount and snck on over 2-3 days.

Prepare fruit (eg pineapple, melon) and keep them in tupperware in the fridge.
Always have a dessert after dinner so you don't feel deprived and reach for the chocs. Try things like no fat greek yoghurt with raspberries and a low fat digestive (arrange like a mini cheesecake).
I bought some fruit tea with vanilla and it worked wonders. I drank it in the evenings. The smell of vanilla really helped to make me feel like I was having something delicious. I know it sounds silly but try it.
Eat of a smaller plate to control your portion.
Give up bread. And your glass of wine

A big bowl of fruit salad ,keep topped up and then you acn have a bowl when you are hungry.

chew gum

I lost a lot of weight by eating less and exercising more - sadly I put it back on again, so need to return to a healthy eating and exercise regime. Last time round I cut out butter/spread on bread (and anywhere else), didn't eat cakes, puddings (apart from fruit/low fat yoghurt), sweets and biscuits. I allowed myself a glass of wine each evening though! At work I always had a banana mid morning and other fruit at lunch/mid afternoon. I also had to cut down severely on my beloved cheese. I think it is important not to snack - apart from defined mid-morning/afternoon fruit snacks and it is vital to do some exercise. This time round I shall do half hour brisk walks at lunchtime. Last time I found that two exercise classes each week really helped.

water, water, water (hate the stuff myself but if you drink a glass every time you have a coffee/tea, you feel all full up for no calories).

Eating on a side plate is another good one.

sweet fruit like grapes (easier in the summer with strawberries as well) - have them around and pick at them - as if they were sweets..!