Had any good meal lately?

When was the last time you enjoyed a nice leisurely meal? Do you know that one of the best ways to maintain a healthy weight and a trim figure is to slow down and savor the food you eat? As strange as this idea may seem, it works. Just look at the French! Their regular diet includes multiple course meals with creamy sauces, real butter, desserts, and wine.

On the flip side, consider American eating habits, which more often than not include skipping meals, having fast food on the run, or overindulging at an all-you-can-eat buffet. One might think that staying on the go helps to burn calories, but what it actually does is to create stress, and stress is a big deterrent to maintaining a healthy weight.

Never fear, all is not lost, because any habit that is learned can be unlearned. All you have to do is to slow down at mealtimes, begin to enjoy your food, take better care of yourself, and you can keep a trim, healthy figure without too much fuss or drastic shift.

But that will require some adjustments to your daily schedule. For your first meal of the day, go for something healthy, even if it is just some fruit and/or nuts as you head off to work. Studies show that starting your day with a healthy mix of protein and carbohydrate boosts your metabolism and helps you burn fat throughout the day. And if you have a mid-morning or afternoon snack, keep it light and nibble it a bit at a time if possible. Stretching it out will make it feel like more in the end.

At mealtimes, strive to eat a full, balanced meal that includes foods you like. As your digestive system was designed to break down natural foods, choose foods that aren't loaded with preservatives and chemicals. So that means staying away from prepared fast foods as much as possible. Also, eating more slowly and chewing your food well will help you enjoy the different tastes on your plate and make you more aware when your body is full.

Finally, don't forget to add some exercise to your daily routine. It doesn't have to be something strenuous or lengthy. Studies show that short bursts of activity throughout the day help to maintain an optimum weight. Some suggestions include taking a short walk after lunch, parking further out in the grocery store parking lot, walking to the corner store as opposed to driving, and opting to take the stairs as opposed to the elevator whenever you can. Those extra steps here and there add up, to a trim healthy body and a healthier lifestyle.