Falling Off The Wagon...

There are times when we gain those "few extra pounds" through bouts of overeating. Holidays, times of stress, changes in normal routines are all contributing factors. It's easy to get into the habit of overeating. What's not easy is rectifying the situation. When you break it down, the reason for this becomes quite clear.

It takes an extra 3,500 calories to gain a single pound of body fat. If you picked up an extra five or ten pounds, we're talking about an extra 17,500-35,000 calories. Chances are, you didn't do that in one sitting. In fact, if you're like most people, you gained that weight by allowing a number of bad eating habits to creep in…and become firmly established. Therefore, saying you need to "eat better" isn't going to give you the structure you need to change these lifestyle habits you've accrued.

So how do you make these changes?

Start small. Take a look at what you've been eating daily and see what small changes you can make to lower your calorie count. Say no to mayo or fatty dressings and sauces, skip the bacon and change to whole-wheat options instead of white. Don't forget the calories in drinks as well. Always order the smallest size and preferably, just order water.

Control portions. If you're eating out, order appetizers or split your meal with someone else. If that's not option, tell the server to wrap up half of your meal to go before serving it to you to avoid accidental overeating.

Eat less, more often. We often find ourselves overeating or eating less healthy options when we're starved. Keep this "need food now panic" at bay by eating more small meals throughout the day. Include healthy snacks such as vegetables, fruits and low-fat options to round out your diet.