Keeping your dirty dishes in sight may help you eat less.  You have heard the saying, ” your eyes are bigger than your stomach.”  It turns out the reverse may be true.
In a study, researchers offered free chicken wings to 52 grad students.  The wait staff was instructed to clear the dishes at only half the tables.  People whose tables were piled with dishes ate 27 percent less than those whose tables were continually cleared-suggesting that watching what you eat can help you consume less.  Interestingly, the students who ate more didn’t think the clean table had any influence, they thought they ate more because they were still hungry.

Low fat leafy greens protect your health.  Even better?  They are delicious!
Popeye was right, spinach is good for you.  Packed with muscle building iron, lutein for eye health and disease fighting antioxidants, spinach deserves its reputation as a super food.
But spinach isn’t the only green that keeps our bodies going.  Leafy cousins, such as kale, chad and collards, provide similar nutrients, and they don’t just build biceps.  Recent findings indicate that eating leafy greens could help prevent osteoporosis.

Researchers found a modern day twist on the classic advice:  A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.  They determined that a few grams of fat in a salad helps the body absorb antioxidants known as carotenoids.  Caratenoids give veggies such as carrots, green peppers and tomatoes their color, and as antioxidants, they help protect against heart disease and other chronic conditions.
This means that if you eat a strictly fat free salad, you will lose out on those protective effects.  How much do you need?  aim for at least 6grams of fat to get the benefit.  But you have to be careful.  Remember that both the dressing and garnishes count.
So if you prefer cheese on your green, opt for fat free dressing.  But if you would rather have dressing with a little fat, go easy on the garnishes.  Choose a dressing that is higher in unsaturated fat rather than saturated fat.

Want to lose weight and eat a healthier diet?  Success may depend upon whether you believe you can.
Self efficacy is the belief that you can change what you want to change, no matter the circumstance.  It means, for example, that you feel confident you can eat a healthy diet even when you are pressed for time, faced with a holiday dessert table or bored and unhappy.  Your level of self belief helps determine how long you stick with your plan even when you run into a bump in the road.
So how can you increase your self belief?  Work at it:  Ask for encouragement from your friends and family, and find a realistic role model so you can tell yourself, “If she did it, I can, too!”