More Eating Tips and Tricks

Eat more fruits, veggies, and whole grains, and less fluffy, sugary, white crap.
If it is soft and fluffy going in, chances are it will make YOU soft and fluffy! Fiber-rich fruits and veggies will pack fewer calories than empty, processed foods, and will leave you feeling fuller longer. They also give you nutrients vitamins, minerals, antioxidants. Make everything you put in your mouth work FOR you, not AGAINST you! (I will follow up later with an email on getting more of these foods in your diet.)

Eat OFTEN.
I eat at least 6 times a day. 3 meals of 300-400 calories and 3 snacks of 100-200 calories. This has two benefits. First, you will feel less hunger when your body is constantly fueled. This will mean you are less likely to lose control and knock someone down on your way to the buffet line. And next, you can take advantage of the thermogenic effect of food. Food does more than add calories; it also burns them. Digestion takes work, and therefore calories. This thermogenic effect of food accounts for 5-10 percent of your daily calorie burn (150-250 calories for me!), so exploit it by eating often!

Eat a mix of carbohydrate, protein and a little fat at every meal and snack.
Eating a mix of nutrients helps sustain your blood sugar levels. Keeping your blood sugar levels regulated prevents you from feeling hungry too soon after a meal. Try snacks such as crackers and cheese; yogurt and cereal; hummus and carrots, apple and peanut butter, or a hard-boiled egg and toast.

Eat with a buddy.
No, you don't have to eat every meal with a friend. But NEVER, under any circumstance, sit down unguarded with your favorite unhealthy treats.
For example:
{me} + {box of Kraft Mac-n-cheese} + {TV} = [empty bowl, 1000+ calories, lots of guilt]
However, throw a friend into that equation, and you eat only half as much food, partly because your hopefully understanding friend will help you keep your goal in mind, and partly because they don't want you scamming on their Kraft Mac-n-cheese.

Stick it out.
When you hit a plateau (and you will) just KEEP AT IT. Eventually the weight/inches will start coming off again.

Hopefully my experience can help YOU to understand what YOUR real eating pitfalls are, and to face them head-on rather than denying or pretending to be the victim of roaming, parasitic bands of calories that come in the night and attach themselves to your thighs. (I swear, that used to happen to me, - really - they are SO vicious)

Diets are temporary and so are their results. Healthy eating and daily fitness is a lifestyle choice, with permanent, fabulous results! Best of luck to you all - thank you for your stories, and for inspiring ME to keep my own personal health and fitness quest rolling!