Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Sometimes it’s not the big moves that get the greatest results when it comes to weight loss. The small moves are what makes healthy eating sustainable over time.

At least that’s what Dr. Nicole Florence, Director of Memorial Health’s Health and Wellness Center says about the matter. Once suggestion she has is to use a smaller plate.

“What we know about hunger and fullness, is those hormones are regulated not only in our gut – our sense of fullness – but in our brain. And when our brain tells us we have cleaned our plate and have had enough portions we tend to regulate that in our gut as well”.

Dr. Florence also advises people to concentrate on one thing at a time, because we are “creatures of habit” we need to instill one habit at a time. She says one example is to concentrate on eating whole foods and eliminating as much processed food as possible. Or you could concentrate on portions only for 3 -4 weeks. She adds it takes around 60 days for a new habit to really be instilled.

She also reminds us that if you find you are trying one thing after another to eat healthy and lose weight, but can’t seem to find success, it might be time to seek the help of a professional. She explains a registered dietician can help you find out why you crave certain foods. If it’s an emotional barrier such as stress, a behavioral health professional can help you develop better coping mechanisms.

If you’d like to know more about healthy eating and losing weight or you would like help in doing so, you can visit Memorial Medical Center’s website or call 217-788-3948.