The Biggest Loser trainer offers tips from his book The Skinny Rules to help you slim down. “These rules, they’re simple, but they’re [also] very difficult at times to follow, and I just was thinking rules aren’t meant to be liked, they’re meant to be followed!”

Use portion control to curb calories. Bob suggests measuring your food for a week to learn what a true portion is for a meal. Then, eat more slowly to prevent overeating. “I get people to eat with their opposite hand,” he explains. “Use that hand that you’re not used to!”

Drink extra water to curb your appetite. “When it comes to being hungry, I think a lot of times people are dehydrated. My number one rule in my book is drink plenty of water,” he says. “As soon as I get up in the morning I down that water. Before every meal that I eat I am going to have a big glass of water and that really does the trick.”

Eat soup, salad and protein at meals to stay full. “The more protein you eat in every single meal the less likely you are to overeat,” Bob says. He suggests keeping Greek yogurt on hand as a versatile ingredient for recipes. And, begin your meals with something healthy. “I eat tomato soup all the time … the reason why I want people to have soup is that you have it for a meal and you’re less likely to eat more of the high calorie foods afterwords, so fill up on salads and soups.”

Stop eating three hours before you go to sleep. “I know that this one’s a very controversial rule, but, don’t be afraid to go to bed hungry. I get people to stop eating within three hours before they go to bed. It is a challenge,” he says. “You’re going to get up the next day and you’re going to be ready to eat, but you’re going to feel good!”

Article courtesy of the Rachael Ray show