Well, the 4th of July is coming up quickly. It is yet another excuse to
eat more than we need. What are we to do. Here are a few things
that I plan on doing to make sure that I keep the calories to a minimum.

1. Make sure that I have plenty of water. I usually bring a cooler with
water rather than the soft drinks and beer. Most of us do not drink
enough water during the day anyway. Drinking water before a
meal helps us to determine just how hungry we really are.

2. I always bring a few fresh vegetables with me to snack on instead
of the chips and cheetos (I might grab a chip or two, it is a holiday).

3. I make sure that I pay attention to what I am eating, and what I
actually want to eat. I don't feel that I need to eat everything that comes
before me. No one is going to make ME feel guilty about not eating.

4. Lastly, I try to have a good time. I don't feel that I need to be eating
in order to enjoy myself. Socializing and "people watching" are
also great pastimes.

Bob Bates M.S.
Performance Psychology Consultant
Weight loss tips and information

This might not work for you ... but it works for me so I'll throw it out there. I know that on a holiday I'm going to want some chips or a "treat" (chips are my big weakness, actually). So instead of saying I'll grab one or two (which usually winds up with me having my hand in the bag up to my elbow ), I package an ounce of chips in a snack baggie and set it aside. That way it's there for me - and when I'm ready or really can't knock down the craving, I can have it and not worry about overeating on the chips.

It's all about saving me from myself sometimes.

I always think that since it IS the holidays maybe my diet too can take a holiday but after that I will try and I mean REALLY TRY to work it off with a heavy duty exercise routine.