Calorie & Nutritional Showdown - Donuts vs Bagels

Calorie Content in Fruit

Calorie Content, Grains

Calorie Content, Vegetables

Calories Burned Climbing Stairs Based on Weight

Symptoms of Diabetes

The Melon Diet

The Natural Diet Plan

The No Diet

The Pyramid Diet™

The Sugar Pit in the Old Diet Trail

The Symptoms of Alcoholism

The Vegetable Group

Time for Some Low Calorie Recipes

Tired of Trying to Lose Weight

Tortilla Soup Recipes

Using Grapefruit for Weight Loss

Want to Lose Weight, Don't Want to Diet

Weighs With Egg Salad

Weight & the Constipation Connection

Weight Gain - How 'It' Happens

Simple Tips for Weight Loss That Really Work

So simple, so easy and they really work!

Over the years when dining out, I've watched hungry construction workers attack their meals - and I seriously doubt that they would have even given a sexy waitress dressed in a bikini a second glance. Time to dine - and rightly so.

I've seen picky eaters play with their food. And once, I even saw a pretty lady grab a limp french fry that hung out of her mouth and past her chin several inches as she sucked it into her mouth like a piece of spaghetti.

No doubt, diners can be quite entertaining - but there's something else quite enlightening about the dining experience. By watching others from afar we can often learn things that may benefit our own eating habits. Keeping this in mind, the following dining tips  are simple and can work for anyone on any diet to drop pounds.

Hunger Erases Food Sanity

Don't wait until you feel ravenous before sitting down to enjoy a meal. Otherwise, you might mirror the pretty lady who sucked the french fry through her lips.

Take Time to Dine

Take time to savor the meal before diving in. Take in the colors, the textures, the smell and the atmosphere. And once those utensils meet with the hands, take time to eat slowly.

Salt, Sugar, Butter & Dressings

Before grabbing the salt shaker and shaking it over the food take time to taste it first. Use the same technique for foods that are complimented by sugar, butter and dressings.

Taking Bites Down to Size

By simply pausing to cut the food into smaller and/or manageable bites, digestion is made easier, the meal takes longer to complete, and the food is more satisfying. When there are foods such as English peas on the table, rather than grabbing an overloaded spoonful, try eating just a few at a time - and enjoy them before swallowing.

Chew-Chew

Rather than chewing bite-sized food for a second or two, then swallowing - take time to chew food thoroughly. Our bodies naturally require chewing time which is one reason why liquid diets fail.

Dine in Peace

Flip off the tube and/or video games as individuals tend to eat more when their thoughts become preoccupied. When dining, it's time to keep the focus where it belongs - on the meal.

Soup & Salad

When dining out, enjoy a side salad with light dressing or a cup of broth-based soup. A soup or salad before mealtime will help curb appetite. And you'll end up eating far less fat and calories that are packed into the freebies - such as the innocent looking bread and chip baskets.

The Water Trough

Try opting for clear cool water to enjoy with meals rather than sweet tea, sweet sodas or sweet juices. The common serving size for beverages is about 8 ounces which equals a cup. Most individuals end up drinking 3-4 times that amount over the coarse of a meal which adds up to several hundred calories for just the beverage. Rarely do glasses equal one cup.

Desserts for Waist-Watchers

Desserts served in restaurants tend to be on the gigantic size. If you opt for dessert, request a couple of plates and forks and share with someone at your table. Or, request a to-go box and enjoy later.