eating secrets to help you lose weight

Getting your daily recommended seven servings of fruits and vegetables each day can seem challenging, but if you make sure every snack and meal includes at least one to two servings, you ll be there by the end of the day. Try filling at least half of your plate with vegetables during lunch and dinner. This will help cut calories without leaving you feeling hungry.

Add spices, salsa or chili pepper to your food for a flavor boost that can speed up your metabolism and help you feel satisfied faster.

If you re eating pasta, swap out one cup of your portion of pasta for one cup of vegetables. This will increase the nutrition in your meal and help to fill you up with fewer calories. If you do this for every pasta meal, you could lose a dress or pants size in a year. You can also try cooking up some spaghetti squash and substituting it for your pasta with the same sauce.

Half of an apple sliced and smeared with peanut butter or almond butter makes a healthy, satisfying snack. Also consider trying this snack: 10 to 12 baby carrots dipped into one to two tablespoons of peanut butter or almond butter.

Slice up some brown bananas and put them in a bowl in your freezer covered with plastic wrap. When they are frozen (after about 12 hours), toss them into your blender or food processor and blend until creamy. If the mixture is not getting creamy after a few minutes of mixing, you can add in a tablespoon of almond milk. When you are done, you will have delicious ice cream, and you will not believe it is just made from bananas. If you eat one serving, it is only 105 calories and less than a half of a gram of fat. A half cup of real ice cream contains 145 calories and eight grams of fat.

Eat half of a cup of strawberries instead of a half of a cup of strawberry ice cream for dessert. You ll save yourself 118 calories and seven grams of fat.

When you re planning to eat out at a restaurant, check the menu online ahead of time and make sure there is something healthy for you to choose. When you decide on a sensible plate to order, commit to it and don t let the server convince you to add on additional appetizers or desserts.

Add flavor to your water to help keep you drinking it all day long. Squeeze a lemon or lime into your water bottle, or try sliced cucumbers or even berries like some spas do.

If you are feeling hungry between meals, try having a glass of water. The hunger could be thirst in disguise.

Keep a small container of raw almonds in your car, on your desk or in your bag. Eat 10 to 12 for a snack to curb cravings and they ll keep you full until your next meal.