The key to maintaining a feel-good weight is to not feel like you are missing out on the fun. Enjoying life certainly doesn’t mean starving yourself, but finding lots of little ways to cut calories or squeeze in extra exercise. And sometimes, these little but strange tips can also chip in with your weight loss:

Make & Follow “2 out of 3″ Rule.

If you haven’t heard of it, well, it’s tine now. This rule allows you to indulge (within reason, of course) by choosing 2 splurges from a meal’s usual options: bread basket, cocktail, or dessert. If you enjoy the 2 sinful choices, there is a greater chance that you won’t overdo in the 3rd calorie department and it keeps you satisfied for longer. Hence a lighter next meal!

Start with Some Bubbly.

No, No, No… No Soda, No Champagne… Just a glass of no-calorie seltzer water! The bubbles from the carbonation makes you feel fuller, even before the meal begins. In fact, even drinking plain old water before a meal can help you limit calories and portion size.

Snack on Hard-to-Eat Foods.

Whenever you dream of that bag of chips, wake up and reach for that pouch of unsalted, unshelled pistachios/peanuts; Oranges might do the same trick, as well, as they require some work to peel the eat. These foods make you work for it, which forces you to slow down and make you more aware of your calories.

Try the Toothpaste Diet.

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You don’t have to suck down tubes of toothpaste, but that minty fresh taste can help you stick to your diet. If you find yourself, letting go of portion-control, brush your teeth with mint-flavored toothpaste. It’ll tell your brain the meal’s over. If you’re tempted to take another bite, you’ll quickly find out that most food doesn’t taste good with a mouth full of cool mint flavor. Plus, the slick feeling of clean teeth is enough to keep most people from wanting to chow down more.

Yes, Go Ahead & Use Small Plates.

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Ever eaten a whole bag of chips, while reading or watching TV? Whenever you feel like snacking, make sure to use a small plate and sit down to enjoy it. Your brain would perceive it as a true snack this way. You could also make snacking fun by using colorful dishes and silverware, making your feel full earlier.

Squeeze Into Skinny Jeans.

Clothes feeling too tight? Grab a baggy sweatshirt. Comfortable? Actually, a little too comfy, isn’t it? So, next time you gain a few pounds, squeeze into your skinny clothes instead. Wearing too-tight clothes to dinner will remind you which foods to eat and how much. If you’re uncomfortable wearing tight clothing in public, cover up with a loose jacket. That way you alone will know why you’re eating a salad instead of a cheeseburger.

Pay for It with Cash.

It might be just a psychological scare that you find yourself, buying/eating more when you pay by card, rather than cash. If you have limited cash with you and if you are on a budget, you just can’t buy the bag of chips from the money you have for a medicine.

Leftover Management.

Well, if you can’t put your fork down, even when you’re full, it calls for extreme measures. Make the food left on your plate look unappetizing. Put silverware handles into the food on your plate. You won’t want to pick up grimy utensils to take another bite. Or, wad up your used napkin, and toss it on top of the food. Or, consciously, leave more than usual in your plate and ask if you can get the leftovers bagged.

Satisfy The Sweet Tooth with Chocolate.

But not just any chocolate! A little dark chocolate not only satisfies a craving for something sweet, but it also packs some surprising health benefits, like protecting your heart and even lowering anxiety and stress. Plus, eating a small piece of chocolate as a snack can actually help curb your hunger and make you feel full longer.

Purge to Avoid the Binge.

If you really want to stick to a diet, clear your cupboards, fridge, freezer and pantry of foods too tempting to ignore. Once you’ve purged your home of fatty nibbles, stock up on healthy items you can turn to when the urge to munch hits. Buy fresh fruit and vegetables each week, and fill your pantry every month with dried fruit, nuts, no-sugar-added applesauce, turkey jerky and other healthy snacks.

So there you go; remember them as they aren’t that difficult to follow. Just a tweak, a tweak there..