The Scenario:
Your to-do list is so lengthy that you forget to eat lunch until 4PM—at which point, starvation causes you to stuff your face.

The Solution:
Set daily reminders in your phone or computer calendar that will alert you to lunchtime and a designated, afternoon snack time. Don’t be fooled by the idea that your distracting workload can help you lose or maintain your weight; it may actually be your diet’s worst enemy. When too much time passes between meals, your blood sugar drops and eventually sends your body on an emergency quest for fuel, making you much more likely to overeat. It can also spark out-of-control cravings and whittle down your willpower to resist them, so all the smart food choices you made that day will go out the window. The bottom line: Eat lunch no more than five food-free hours after breakfast. (You can wait longer if you have a smart snack.) This will help stabilize your blood sugar and energy levels, which, in turn, will keep your inner hunger beast on its leash.