Do you want donuts or hipbones? Do you want ice-cream or a flat belly? These are the decisions you have to make when it comes to weight loss. It’s really that easy. Your relationship with food is all important if you want to lose weight and keep it off. Many overweight people have an incredibly poor relationship with food, hence they become obese. The key is to respect food and your body by treating food as a means of nourishment and not as a crutch.

Eat when you are hungry, not when you are upset

How many times do you head for the fridge or food cupboard when you are uptight about something?

American movies and sitcoms often feature an upset woman eating a bucket of ice cream after she has had a fight with her spouse or boyfriend.

Sadly, this is not restricted to movies and TV. Many people turn to food when their emotions have been compromised. If this is how you deal with emotional upheaval, you need to find other ways to deal with this.

Emotional eating is a sure way to pick up weight really quickly and it leads to more of the same. This cycle is difficult to break and before you know it, you are lugging around an extra 10-20 lbs.

I have never heard of people eating carrots and celery to get rid of unwanted emotions, it is usually the most fattening types of food known to man.

Change your routine if you want to cease being an emotional eater

You need to develop some habits that will keep you out of the kitchen and fridge.

You could take a stroll around the block when you have had a rough day.

Another option is to relax in hot bath with your favorite book. I find this to be one of my favorite ways of unwinding after an especially stressful day.There are many other options including playing in the yard with your kid, taking a walk on the beach, going for a swim or even meditating.

Both of these options will get you out of food’s reach and cost you no calories.

All foods should be ‘legalized’ if you want to lose weight

This is a topic close to my heart.

Too many people start the strictest diet possible in an attempt to lose weight. Sadly, most people do not possess the staying power to refrain from “bad” foods and with a week or two are back to their old habits and have even gained more weight than when they started dieting.

Find a weight management program that allows you to still eat ALL the foods that you enjoy.

This does not mean that you can eat as much as you like! It simply means that no foods are forbidden.

I have lost and maintained a 12 kg ( 26 LBS) weight loss while still eating all my favorite foods. I eat pie, curry (with potatoes and rice), spaghetti bolognaise, buttery garlic bread, puddings and every type of food that most weight management programs would forbid. At night I enjoy sweetened cold drink with my dinner and I average 2-3 cups of coffee with 3 teaspoons of sugar each per day. Since losing this weight, I no longer have to take medication for my hiatal hernia. Today, I am on the maintenance plan, eat my favorite foods and my weight is constant.

Only eat when you are hungry

It is easy to confuse thirst with hunger. Are you drinking at least 2 liters of water each day? Find out why that is so important.

If you have a healthy meal at breakfast, lunch and dinner, there is no reason for you to be hungry in between meal times. If you do feel hungry, drink a large glass of water. Not only will the water rehydrate you, it will take away the “feeling” of being hungry. If you are still hungry 20 minutes after drinking water, then opt for a carrot or a piece of fruit.

If you are diligent about managing your relationship with food, you will lose the weight and more importantly, it will stay off.