Try to eat high bulk foods such as bran, which are low in calories. By doing this, you can eat a larger quantity of food. Of course, these foods in large quantity will take longer to eat and will contribute to an earlier sensation of fullness. Make a special effort to experiment with your foods. Many individuals successfully cut down on the number of calories consumed by gradually changing the ingredients in their foods. For example, you could gradually reduce the amount of sugar or cream in your coffee until you get used to drinking it black. Note that any diet that is nutritionally sound and sufficient in calories can be used. Experts recommend that you use flexible diets rather than rigid diets that have little variety in the foods that are to be consumed. Remember, your goal is not only to lose weight, but also to develop a lifetime plan for eating. Activity # 8: Construct Cue Cards. Make a set of cue cards that focus on your established goals and the desired rewards of normal weight. Read these statements each day. Focusing on the rewards and pleasures of accomplishing your goals is more effective than thinking about the negative aspect of being overweight. Activity # 9: Focus on Internal Cues. Focus on internal hunger cues. Most importantly, stop eating when you no longer feel hungry. Before you eat, ask yourself, “Am I really hungry?� Give the little man in your brain a fighting chance. Try to put small amounts of food on your plate. If you feel that you need more food after eating that portion, go back and get a little more. It is better to have a little food on your plate and go back for seconds than having a lot of food on your plate. Practice leaving a small amount of food on your plate to overcome the habit of automatically eating whatever is in front of you.
IV. Response Control ________________________________________________________________
Activity # 10: Slow Down Your Eating. Slow down the pace at which you eat. The extra time will allow you to feel full and to stop eating before eating too much. Also, if you eat fast, there is a strong possibility that you will feel compelled to continue eating while waiting for those dining with you to finish. Put your fork down between each bite. This will help slow down the pace of your eating. The simple experience of eating more slowly is, in itself, important. Chew your food well. Take small portions of food into your mouth and chew these portions thoroughly before swallowing. This will activate the trigeminal nerve, which will activate the satiation center in the hypothalamus, thus decreasing your hunger. Activity # 11: Engage in Incompatible Behavior. Write down a number of activities that you enjoy as much or more than eating. When you get hungry, substitute one of these activities for eating. The activities you select should in no way be associated with the response of eating. Use these activities as an incompatible behavior for eating. Every time you get an urge to eat at an inappropriate time, engage in one of these activities instead. Since eating is not ordinarily associated with these activities, there will be less of a temptation to eat while performing them. Examples of these methods might include a walk in the park instead of eating a snack, engaging in absorbing hobbies to take your mind off food, or swimming instead of eating.
V. Motivational Aids _______________________________________________________________
Activity # 12: Alter the Consequences of Eating.