Tips for Moms to Get Skinny and Stay Skinny

The million dollar diet industry wants you to believe you need to invest in expensive meal plans, supplements and fad diet books. This skinny mom is here to tell you maintaining or even losing weight after the kids come along is not impossible. In addition to a commitment to exercise, I have some no-fail methods to maintain my weight. That's right--no gimmicks, no purchase required.

By making solid choices, I actually have a smaller waist now, than before I had my two girls. So before we start slipping on swimsuits and jumping into the pool, let's take a look at easy ways to trim calories and fat from your diet.

Skip the soda. You don't need 160 extra calories a day from sweetened beverages. Instead opt for 0-calorie drinks.My picks are unsweetened iced tea and seltzer. I have an unscientific theory: Diet soda makes women retain water. And sugar sodas are the worst. Summer is the perfect time to lighten up.
Practice mindful eating. Turning off all the screens in your home before you eat will help you pay attention to when you are full. Whenever I eat and try to catch up on emails or watch a movie I never taste anything. What a waste. If I put an effort into food I intend to savor it. Light a candle, grab the cloth napkins and make meals an event. And never eat standing up. If you are hungry. Fine. Have a snack, but sit down and eat with the kids. Acknowledge what you are eating.

Don't eat scraps. Seriously, do you need to eat those last bits of macaroni and cheese? Do you find yourself nibbling chips as you pack your kids lunches? Eat real meals and real snacks and you'll be more satisfied.

Drink a glass of water first. Often thirst is misinterpreted as hunger. And yes, sometimes hunger means "FEED ME" figure out what you really need. Drink a room temperature glass of water before reaching for those cookies. At least half the time you'll assess that you were only dehydrated, not hungry

Hide the bread basket.Mostly I mean at dinner time. I grew up with bread being served at every dinner. Now that I know bread adds carbohydrates to my diet that I don't need I only eat bread a few times a week. Bread is not a side dish. Save the splurge for when you eat out at restaurants or for lunch time sandwiches.

Double up on the green stuff. I always eat the green stuff on my plate first. If I am still hungry after eating everything on my plate I take a second helping of veggies. Plus, you're setting a great example for your kids.

Brush your teeth. Sounds silly, but after the effort of flossing, brushing and rinsing with mouthwash I'm highly unlikely to snack after a meal and start the whole bedtime routine all over again. When I'm done with dinner I head right to the bathroom and start the night time routine--works like a charm.

Practice these seven tips and you'll be feeling and looking great this summer.