Eat Often, Smaller Amounts - Weight Loss Tips

Ok, my title states one of the hints I have heard so often to be successful at healthy eating. My mother has always eaten this way. I remember her going to the kitchen often to have a little snack. Then at mealtime she did not eat very much. She was always the one jumping up to get this or that as we all sat there eating. She always cleaned up too. Probably we should have helped out more in that department, but she never asked us to.

I am home resting after having had a minor procedure done this morning. I have an ice pack on it to keep the swelling down. Bob and and I ate a meal at mid morning after not having had breakfast early like we usually do. This of course throws off lunch, as in I'm not hungry now. Should you eat when you're hungry or at strict times daily? It seems like thinner people eat only when they are hungry, but they don't seem to get as hungry as I do.

And while we're at it... let's talk about hunger and the different types of hunger. There is the hunger when your stomach is growling and you know you had better eat. There is the hunger when your body craves something. For instance, sometimes I crave something sweet or salty. Should you just eat the thing you crave, only a small bit of it then? Or should you just try to do something else? It seems like cravings build up if you don't give in a little.

How often should you weight yourself? I have always heard weigh in once a week. However, some have mentioned the value of getting on the scale every day. I'd prefer not to get on at all, but of course that doesn't work. Before you know it, you've gone up.

I have had to give up my Aleve for one week. Yikes, have my feet been hurting! I arthritis in my feet, unfortunately, and this is the pits for exercising. My nutritionist told me that the pain is a signal that I should listen to. She is the one who says to make small changes on a long term basis. She also told me that illness, like bronchitis I have repeatedly had, sends the body into a cycle of keeping what it has (as in fat). Your metabolism shuts down to take care of the illness first and after this is done, returns to a building up cycle and a releasing cycle.

How does one get over the joy of eating, or the nice feeling you have after you eat? Some people don't seem to notice this, or don't need this. It seems to me that if I liked eating less, loosing weight would be easier.

Anybody have anything to say about these issues?

It's raining, dreary, and dark. Here's to the difficult tasks we deal with every day - chin, chin!
Sue