Stick to a Schedule
This doesn't necessarily mean the traditional 3 meals of breakfast, lunch and dinner.  You can create a convenient schedule that enables you to eat when you're hungry - perhaps 6 "mini-meals" suits you better.  Research shows that eating 6 small meals a day is truly the best way to lose weight and maintain your ideal weight.

The important thing is you want to avoid constantly snacking throughout the day.

Eat at the Table
Designate one place in your home for eating.  Preferably at a dining room or kitchen table.  By eating in that one location, you begin to associate that one place, and that place only, with food.  Even if you're eating by yourself, set the table and make the environment as pleasant as possible.

If you sit in the recliner in the living room and watch television while eating your meals, whenever you go to sit in that recliner and turn on the TV you're going to get a craving for food.  It's that simple.  And it's that difficult.  You sitll may want to eat while watching TV, but as you slowly change this bad habit the urge to eat will lessen and should disappear. 

Stop when You're Full
No matter what your parents told you as a child, you don't have to finish all the food on your plate.  Eat slowly, chew your food, and once you begin to feel full, stop.  As you become more adept at identifying when you're hungry and when you're satisfied, it becomes easier not to overeat.

Reorganize Your Kitchen
Your number one goal is to create a work space that allows you to prepare healthy meals in as short amount of time as possible.  This can reduce situations in which you eat unhealthy food because you didn't have the right ingredients handy or you were in a hurry.  As I mentioned in Part III, Smart Cooking is a great alternative for your meals! www.Fawcett.SmartCooking.com

Start by replacing the cookie jar with a bowl of fruit.  Having a supply of healthy snacks on hand and in plain sight is a good first step.  Next, try to keep a good supply of healthy staples in stock - foods and ingredients you use often.  While some staples are fairly standard - for example, oatmeal, rice and seasonings - your list will vary, depending on your personal tastes and your talent for cooking.

An efficient kitchen also requires the proper tools.  This doesn't mean buying expensive gadgets, just a few high-quality basics will do.  Create work areas for specific tasks and keep tools that  you use for these tasks nearby.  Fro example, store knives and cutting boards in the food preparation area, and bowls and measuring cups in the mixing area.