A Few of My Weight-Loss Tricks

As I went through my weight-loss journey, I instinctively changed what I was doing in order to keep the scale inching downward. First, of course, was portion control, followed by upping the fruits and veggies, adding fiber-filled foods, lots of water, muscle-building workouts (because muscle burns lots of calories), etc. Here are a few other things I learned along the way.

1. Look for creative ways to reduce those starchy, refined carbs. Oroweat has come out with a great new product called Sandwich Thins. Whole grain, 5g of fiber (wow!) and only 100 calories each, they're like hamburger buns without all the extra dough. If this is too big a stretch for you, try switching from bagels to bialys and you'll be saving nearly half the calories.

2. Share! Especially when eating in restaurants, this friendly trick allows you to taste, but will prevent you from overindulging.

3. When staring down that cheesecake you really shouldn't have, stop and tell yourself you know what it tastes like--after all, you've had cheesecake before. Do you really need or want it? And if the answer is yes, just have a few bites or a tiny sliver (cheesecake is rich!). And enjoy it!

4. Buy fruits and vegetables in season. They're cheaper, fresher and taste better. You'll never get bored with produce because you'll always be varying your menu. Last night I made a wonderful tomato and peach salad I found in the most recent issue of "Food Network Magazine," made with tomatoes I'd grown myself (how Martha Stewart of me!): Top wedges of tomatoes and peaches with a splash of cider vinegar, a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper and a sprinkle of sugar. Toss and serve.

5. Add small amounts of fattier, richer foods to your low-cal meals. For example, grate cheese or cut it into tiny chunks before you add it to a salad or atop a bowl of soup. Throw some walnuts into your chicken or tuna salad (chop them up first and you'll get more taste with fewer calories).

There's more, but these should get you started.