You hit a plateau, the weight loss is stalled or maybe you are gaining weight even though it seems as though you’re doing everything right, like choosing healthier foods, limiting fast food, etc. Out of frustration you ask yourself, why am I not losing weight?

Can we be honest?  Please, think portions!  It may seem like you’re doing all the right things with your food and exercise, but how much are you really eating?  When I start gaining weight, obviously the first thing to look at is what I’m eating, but to get down to the nitty gritty, I ask myself how am I eating?  Or, how much am I really eating?  Here are a few questions to ask yourself:

• Are you eating standing up or while preparing your food?
• Do you eat out of boredom or to numb an emotional hurt?
• Is it a stressful eating?
• Are you eating out of peer pressure; because the friend, spouse, whomever is with you, is eating so you join in even when you’re not really hungry?

Once you have identified the why and how of your eating that may be pushing the scales upward, begin to use the tools to get that scale needle down.

These are my go-to tools that help me get back on track:

• Go to:  www.myfitnesspal.com,  This tool has a huge database full of food that you can track electronically.  So, no excuse not to enter what goes into your mouth.
• Plain old measuring cups and spoons.  For example, cereal is an easy one to overdo in a bowl.  Measure it.  Peanut butter is another calorie dense food that is very easy to spread on in excess.  Use the tablespoon to measure it out.
•  Lastly, if your stomach is stretched and you feel hungry, get serious with vegetables.  Use them as your main entree in your meals.  Get creative – stir fry them with olive oil and herbs, make a vegetable stew, eat them raw or with salads.  Vegetables can taste good and they are so good for you.  They will fill you up so you won’t feel deprived.