Just say no
health,diets
240x370 woman hand pushing away
Kids eat when they\'re hungry and stop when they\'re full. Simple as that. So if you really can\'t force another bite down, don\'t. And if you aren\'t enjoying the food on your plate, don\'t eat it just for the sake of being polite. Put the fork down and save yourself the calories.
Don\'t deny yourself
health,diets
240x370 kid holding biscuit away
If you can\'t resist those nachos loaded with all of the toppings, then go ahead and eat them. Kids don\'t label their foods \'good\' and \'bad\', but rather \'take it\' (if they feel like having it) or \'leave it\' (if they don\'t). Odds are that the more you deny yourself a food you want, the more you\'ll crave it. And the more you crave it, the more likely you are to eat it, even if you\'ve already had plenty.
Don\'t obsess over food
health,diets
240x370 apple measuring tape
Kids don\'t devour a tub of ice cream because they accidently coloured outside the lines. To them, food is simply fuel, not something to cheer them up or to occupy them when they\'re bored. The next time stress or boredom overcomes you, try instead to email a friend, read a magazine, or go for a walk.
Fully enjoy treats
health,diets
240x370 woman happy eating cake
If you are going to indulge in a treat, you may as well do it properly and enjoy it. Give a child a slice of chocolate cake and they\'ll relish each and every bite until it\'s gone. They won\'t make it a bizarre torture ritual by taking a bite, packing it away, taking a bite, packing it away, taking a bite...
Be a wiggle worm
health,diets
240x370 kid jumping
Along with children, studies have shown that thin people tend to be more fidgety in their daily activities. So go on: play with your hair, tap your feet to the music, stand instead of sit on the bus.
Live for now
health,diets
240x370 now pen paper
Kids don\'t yearn for the past or obsess about the future, they live in the now - which is why you never see a depressed three-year-old. Living in the now is key for happiness, and if you\'re happy, you\'re more likely to take better care of yourself by exercising and eating well.
Believe you can do anything
health,diets
240x370 arms outstreched to sun
If an activity sounds fun kids will try it, no matter what their abilities. They believe they can do anything and they will. If they don\'t like it they\'ll just up and move on. If you\'ve always liked the look of tennis but were too afraid to try, consider that even if you\'re awful, you\'ll still get a good workout (and have something in common Anna Kournikova). Then try your luck with figure skating, archery, or whatever takes your fancy.
Forget your manners
health,diets
240x370 boy yawning
Instead of squelching that yawn you feel coming on, let it out to its full glory. Yawning makes you more alert by exerting pressure on the nerves in your jaw and neck, which signals your body to send a burst of oxygenated blood to your brain. In other words, if you\'re too tired to exercise, it\'s nature\'s way of re-energising you.
Sleep like a baby
health,diets
240x370woman sleeping
Lack of sleep can affect levels of the sleep hormone cortisol and also cause high glucose levels. This translates into still feeling hungry when you\'ve consumed an adequate amount of food, as well storing excess body fat.
Drink your milk
health,diets
240x370 woman drinking milk
While dairy products can be high-calorie, studies have shown that obese adults who ate a high-dairy diet lost more weight and fat than those who ate a low-dairy diet containing the same number of calories.
