When I was overweight and unhealthy, one of the biggest mistakes I made was eating too much at the end of my day. I was working long hours; I usually skipped lunch and then I would walk in the door at night, starving! I’d snack on whatever I could get my hands on and then have dinner. And of course after dinner, I needed a sweet treat (or two) to top off my meal. I exercised everyday but my body never changed. All the exercise I was doing was not enough to balance out my nighttime eating habits. I had to eat more during the day and less at night if I ever wanted to lose weight. Also, overeating at night made it difficult to fall asleep. So I knew if I could get a handle on my overeating then I could lose the weight and sleep better.

I had to take (or buy), a big lunch that I could turn into two meals. For example, if I bought a turkey sandwich and a bowl of soup, I would eat ½ the sandwich and the soup for lunch and then eat the other ½ of the sandwich as a snack at 4pm. I would pack a large snack (in case I didn’t have leftovers from lunch) for my afternoon. I would take a few slices of chicken or turkey, chopped veggies and almonds. If I really blew it during my day and hadn’t eaten, I’d make sure to eat a high fiber snack as soon as I got home. For ex: an apple or pear with some flaxseed.

Flaxseed is an amazing grain! Not only does it have incredible cancer fighting properties, it’s also full of heart healthy fat and fiber. I love the fiber content of flaxseed; it fills me up without making me feel bloated and heavy. I know that many of you take fiber supplements. But have you looked at the labels on these products? Most are full of sugar and other additives. Ground flaxseed is my favorite fiber supplement-it’s all natural!

On those days when I don’t eat well (low fiber lunch or no afternoon snack) I make sure I have a little flaxseed as soon as I get home from work. I take a teaspoon of flaxseed and swallow it down with a big glass of water. The flaxseed is a natural appetite suppressant (due to the fiber content) and along with the water, it really helps to take the “edge” off of my appetite. If my method doesn’t sound attractive to you (yes, I know I’m a little nutty when it comes to food), why don’t you try adding a little peanut butter to a sliced apple, then add a dash of flaxseed. Start slowly on the flaxseed. I suggest you start off with less than a teaspoon and then work up to a tablespoon or two per day. Keep in mind that flaxseed is a mild laxative! So please don’t take too much; potty problems are never fun…

My favorite flaxseed is Premium Gold Flaxseed. It’s organic, non GMO and grown on a fifth generation family farm in North Dakota. It’s available at Costco in the Pacific Northwest. www.premiumgoldflax.com