If you’ve looked at the home page for this site you’ll see that it says right up front “Deprivation is not on the menu.” I am not a fan of over zealous calorie or enjoyment restriction. It usually doesn’t last and can be counterproductive. Cutting calories sharply–unless you are really packing them in by the thousands–can result in slowing down your metabolism. Not a good idea is it? And at midlife we’ve got enough stress without taking away all of our pleasures.

As a chef, and someone who has been at this weight loss/healthy weight maintenance game for some time now I’ve got some tips that are guaranteed to help you enjoy what you eat and bring awareness to what you are eating so you can make the best choices.

Tip #1–Do you eat cheese? I love cheese but I also know that ounce for ounce cheese is a calorie dense food. That means there are lots of calories in a small sized chunk. It’s funny, we’ve all cut back on meat but meat, ounce for ounce, is lower in saturated fat than whole milk cheese is and has other nutrients your body can use for fat burning and overall nutrition. That said I still include cheese in my diet. I eat both full and low fat. For snacks I buy low fat cheese sticks so that someone else controls the portion. Add a big stick of crunchy celery and you have a filling and texturally satisfying snack.

Tip #2–Buy the Best and Use Less. This has long been one of my mottos. High quality foods taste better, period. Cheap olive oil has half the flavor that a more expensive extra virgin one does. Plastic cheese does not have the satiety factor that fresh crafted does. And chocolate? Well you may enjoy a Hershey kiss for the flavor memory but have you had a dark Dove Bite? OMG, melt in your mouth heaven.

And with these products, a little goes a long way. You don’t have to break the bank to enjoy the best.

Tip #3 –Make sure you include The Yumm Factor in your day. No this is not a treat though it could be. It’s using real products like maple syrup, real butter, (margarines will kill you anyway so it’s time to dump that junk), fresh ginger, garlic you chop vs the stuff that comes in a jar and could be 6 months old, fresh herbs vs dried. I’m all for convenience but I also love food and eat for the flavors and textures, the smells and the colors. Fake processed foods will never provide the same gustatory experience as the real deal will. When you have less food each day, don’t you want it to be as amazingly delicious as it can be? Then use the real thing. When you enjoy your food you are more likely to feel satisfied with less.

Tip #4 — Spend your calories on things you love rather than mindlessly eating anything. Recently I was visiting someone who is a big dessert lover. I could be too but I know me and I would much rather eat savoury foods. When dessert time rolled around and she offered to split one with me I declined. Why? Cause dessert doesn’t matter to me. I’m usually plenty full from my meal and don’t need anything more. The bigger reason is, if I eat something I could enjoy but don’t love then I’m squeezing out room for the things I do love, like a glass of wine with my meal or some cheese and fruit vs cake or sweets. If you do love dessert than go for it and skip the bread basket or the appetizer. Eating what you love vs everything that shows up in front of you adds up to more enjoyment, less extra pounds.

Tip #5 — Keep healthy choices in the fridge, pantry, and all of the food storage cabinets. This may seem obvious but from speaking with my coaching clients, it’s not happening. The other day I was slightly hungry mid-afternoon. I went to our snack cabinet thinking I’d have some whole grain crackers. Not a bad choice but not the best thing as it would have been all carbs. I wasn’t hungry enough to have added any form of protein. (And if you know any of my weight loss secrets you’ll know we need to eat protein throughout the day and especially with carbs)

What I found right next to the crackers was a container of walnuts I’d roasted slightly. Voila! A handful of monounsaturated fat, (which helps with weight loss) and nutrients up the wazoo. Walnuts are brain food as well. I felt satisfied, my snack was well rounded–fat, protein and fiber–and I was in for about the same amount of calories as the crackers.

Other things to keep on hand? Cut up veggies, hummus, almond butter, apples–always have apples–cheese sticks, hard boiled eggs, the list goes on and on. This is the kind of thing we go through in detail by the way in my Weight Loss Express.

Food = pleasure to many of us and it should be any different just because we are shedding some pounds. It’s always the little things that make the most difference, like the 5 tips above. Do you have other ideas? Why not share them in the comments section below?