14 Daily Fat Fighting Tips

1. Start your diet with a food diary. Record everything you eat, what you were doing at the time, how you felt. That tells you about yourself - your temptation times, the emotional states that encourage you to eat - and may help you lose weight, once you see how much you eat.

2. If you're about to cheat, allow yourself a treat, then eat only half and throw the other half away. When hunger hits, wait several minutes before eating and see if it passes.

3. Instead of eating the forbidden piece of candy, brush your teeth. The sweetness of the toothpaste may take your craving away.

4. Drink six to eight glasses of water a day. Water itself helps cut down on water retention because it acts as a diuretic. Taken before meals, it dulls the appetite by giving you that "full" feeling.

5. Diet with a buddy. Many successful weight-loss programs rely heavily on support groups: caring people who help one another succeed. Start your own, even with just one other person.

6. Avoid evening TV. Studies show that people who watch a lot of TV tend to be overweight. Overweight people will tell you that TV encourages them not only to sit still but also to snack.

7. Make dining an event. Eat from your own special plate, on your own special place mat, and borrow the Japanese art of food arranging to make your meal, however meager, look lovely. This is a trick that helps chronic overeaters and bingers pay attention to their food, instead of consuming it unconsciously.

8. Avoid consuming large quantities of fattening liquids, which are so easy to overdo. That includes alcohol.

9. Keep plenty of crunchy foods like raw veggies and popped popcorn on hand. They're high in fiber, and they're satisfying and filling.

10. Don't lose too quickly. Be happy with a slower weight loss. Remember, you're less likely to gain back what you lose slowly and your body isn't going to sag.

11. Don't eat with the radio or stereo on. Concentrate on eating every mouthful slowly and savoring each morsel.

12. Always eat with a utensil, even finger foods like fruit or bread. And if possible, use chopsticks. Unless you're really adept, you'll be forced to eat more slowly and take smaller bites.

13. Buy nonstick pans so you can saute without the addition of any fat;

14. Wear a belt or girdle that makes you aware of when you've eaten enough.