Haven’t you had enough? How I wish those words could appear magically before my eyes sometimes. You’ve heard the term ‘eyes bigger than your belly’, meaning you order more food than your stomach could ever hold. Well, I think for many of us our eyes can never see enough, as we’re likely to polish off our plate regardless!

In parts I and II of this trilogy, I spoke about my own journey in learning how Weight Loss is NOT About What You Can’t Have but is About All You Can Have, That’s Better For Us

However, choosing healthier options doesn’t address the issue of how much food you eat. I am all for occasional treats, as life is far too short to deprive ourselves – and even though I encourage healthier versions of your favourite foods most of the time, we can still get too much of a good thing.

I remember hearing Oprah, the world’s most infamous dieter, talking about her woes of not losing weight although she was now eating organic everything – including family-size bags of healthy corn chips! So even if you do make the switch to healthier foods, as I detailed in the first two articles, you still need to get the ‘how much’ under control.

As I’ve already told you – I LOVE food, and with my work I am surrounded by it all the time – from the healthiest raw granola that we make in Raw Workshops, to homemade coconut yogurt in Fermentation Workshops. And then there are the homemade chocolates that are always worth having on standby, just in case. All totally, deliciously healthy – but that doesn’t give us a license to munch on these all day long. Unfortunately.

So whether you’re eating the healthiest foods on earth, or otherwise, how do you avoid overdoing it? Here are some of my top tips:

1. Plan For Holidays And Celebrations

A lot of damage can be done during these times, so planning is key. Map out the bigger picture by keeping a health journal for the few weeks; highlight the times you will be indulging a little more than usual, and then plan to ‘lighten up’ at other times around this.

Also use your health journal to jot down what you do eat. By having to write things down (and commit to sharing your notes with a friend or your nutritionist), then you are more likely to think twice before popping something unhealthy in your mouth.Your body keeps an accurate journal regardless of what you write down!

2. Have A List Of Lighten-Up Meals As Insurance

These do not have to be ‘boring’ in any way. Get creative with salads, soups and vegetable-based dinners, along with healthy salad dressings and marinades. Some examples are:

• ‘Clean’ Greek, Waldorf, or Caesar salad

• Roasted root vegetable salad with salsa, hummus or feta

• Stir-fry veggie curry: add a small portion of chicken, prawns, or tofu

• Vietnamese rice rolls with salad

• Sashimi with waikame salad

• Baked fish fillet with steamed veg

• Vegetable omelette with a sprinkling of cheese

• Scrambled or poached eggs with smoked salmon

• Watermelon and feta salad

• Beetroot and goat’s cheese on leafy greens

• Vegetable (clear or puréed) soups

3. Don’t Go Hungry!

This is a big mistake people make – thinking that if they starve all day long, they can then tuck into whatever they like. However, if we let ourselves get too hungry, then we are likely to make unwise choices and grab the quickest (and often unhealthiest) item on offer. Better to have something light and healthy before you head out to celebrate, so that food is not the only thing on your mind. Some examples are:

• Small garden salad

• Vegetable crudités and salsa or a healthy dip

• Broth-based soup or miso soup

• Fruit, with natural or Greek yogurt

• Tomato salad with balsamic vinegar

• Rice cake or crisp bread with hummus or nut butter

• Chopped pineapple with cottage cheese

• Small bowl of gazpacho

4. Make Mental Notes
Before the occasion, make a mental note (or better still, write it down) of your good intentions. For example:

• I can have dessert, but only if shared (it’s more intimate that way, too).
• I will enjoy two glasses of wine, no more.
• I will enjoy and savor all the food I choose to eat, especially treats I normally would not have.
  
  
  

5. Keep My 5Ss In Mind
If you haven’t already downloaded my 5Ss of Mindful Eating guide, please do so for lots of great tips on how to learn to eat mindfully.

6. Have Access To Lots Of Healthy Snack Ideas And Recipes

We all need help in resisting the temptation to over-indulge, be that at home, at work, dining out, or when travelling. They key is to have access to lots of great options that are healthy, easy and quick to put together, and that don’t cost the earth.

Invest some time in learning about nutrition and all the great options that are available. We all need guidance in not only how and what to eat healthier, but also in understanding our bodies and listening to their signals. This is not something we can fix overnight, but it is absolutely possible within a supportive environment with like minded people, and under the guidance of a qualified nutritionist. You will be motivated to become and stay healthier and, of course, happier.

I invite you to sign up to my online course Revitalize-in-5! to get the motivation, support and guidance that you need. So many people have got themselves on the right path by investing a little time and money in their health.

If you’re not quite sure you can commit, why not signup for a three-day taster of the course first, to see if it’s for you. I have no doubt you will love what you see, and I then look forward to guiding you over five weeks to a healthier, happier you!

Visit the Health & Vitality page to find out more about Liza's business.

_{Edited by Nedda Chaplin
Image credit: Buffet Dinner Restaurant from Shutterstock}

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