Slimming down shouldn't be about giving up anything but excess pounds. Instead, it's the little behavior tweaks that make a major difference. Why? Because those changes are the easiest to live with--and continue to do. Live on cabbage alone? No, thanks. In fact, a study in The Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that very restrictive diets may be harder to stick to than other plans. Read up on a few of my favorite tips on eating healthy without hating it.

Eat more fiber
Have two foods with at least 3 grams of fiber per serving today. Studies suggest that we absorb up to 6 percent fewer calories when we follow a high-fiber diet that includes at least 34 g a day. Fiber is filling and helps stabilize blood sugar levels, which may prevent binges. Toss 1/4 cup of beans on your salad (4 g); snack on an apple with the skin (3.3 g), an Asian pear (10 g) or strawberries (3 g per cup); and pair a baked sweet potato (3.4 g) or a cup of whole-wheat pasta (6 g) with your dinner. Also, look for bread with 3 g per serving and cereal that has at least 5 g per bowl.

Spend at least 20 minutes eating
People who chow down at warp speed almost double their risk for obesity compared with those who eat more slowly, say researchers from Shakaihoken Kobe Central Hospital in Kobe, Japan. It takes about 20 minutes from the time you start munching for your brain to register your stomach is full. Pace yourself by putting down your fork between bites, using your less dominant hand to eat or even eating with chopsticks.

Read the fine print
Make sure to check the label of all the foods you eat today for serving sizes--it's easy to be fooled into thinking a packaged product, such as fruit juice or potato chips, is one serving when it may be two or even more. In fact, only 1 percent of Americans surveyed properly identified correct serving sizes for eight different foods, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research in Washington, D.C.

Nosh more frequently
Nibble on something every three to four hours to keep your blood sugar steady; if it plummets, your body thinks it's starving, which can trigger a binge. Shoot for five mini-meals of about 350 calories each, or choose three squares of around 500 calories each, punctuated by two 100-calorie snacks.

Veto the vending machine
Declare all vending options off-limits. Most are loaded with high-fat, high-calorie, nutritionally bankrupt selections. Even healthy-sounding picks, like some granola bars, can be calorie or sugar overload. Instead, keep a few smart options such as fruit, lowfat string cheese and trail mix handy for snack attacks.

Talk to yourself
Before you take a bite of anything today, ask yourself why you want to eat. Often people eat to soothe anger or stress--not necessarily because they're hungry. When you get the urge to indulge, rate your hunger on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being ravenous and 10 being stuffed. Grab a snack if you're at 4 or 5. Anything less, find another way to deal with your emotions, like calling a pal.

Replace candy with dried fruit
Craving a treat? Dig in to dried fruit--it's often lower in fat and more nutritious than candy but just as satisfyingly sweet. (And thanks to its chewy consistency, dried fruit lasts longer.) Watch portions, though: Dried fruit is concentrated, so calories can add up. Opt for 1/2 cup of no-sugar-added dried apples for 73 calories, dried apricots for 106 calories or dried cranberries for 200 calories.

Cut toppings by 50 percent
Yes, I ask for my dressing on the side. That way, I can put on as much or as little as I want. Blindly pouring anything on your food can easily add 500 calories per day without even realizing it. So try using half of your usual amount of fatty salad dressing, mayonnaise, butter, cream cheese, whole milk, syrup, gravy and other toppings. The good news: You will still get plenty of flavor using less.

Eat dessert
I'm serious! As long as you eat healthfully the majority of the time, a small splurge can help you stick to your diet because you don't feel deprived. The trick: Choose one that satisfies without loads of fat and calories, like a popsicle that's 100 calories or less. I also love a bowl of fresh fruit, like strawberries or mixed berries--you get all the nutrients and the sweet fix.

Check your schedule
Before you head out for work in the morning, take a peek at your agenda for the day. Is tonight that big dinner with friends, or do you have a party for your boss's birthday in the afternoon? Identifying events in advance at which you know you might be tempted to splurge can help you plan accordingly. Whenever you enter in new dates, highlight those that are potentially diet-risky so they'll stand out and you won't forget to troubleshoot for them.

Say aah! to more appetizers
Start lunch and dinner with a low-calorie clear soup or a big leafy salad before diving into your entree--you'll eat up to 12 percent less of your main dish, according to research from Penn State University in University Park. Keep bagged lettuce in the fridge and stock up on ready-made low-calorie soups so it's easy to get your meals off to a light start. The entree is big enough for two! Eat half and ask your server to bag the rest for your lunch tomorrow. You'll save calories and cash. (There is such a thing as a free lunch!)

Unwind everyday
Set aside a few minutes to relax every day. Stress may cause the body to conserve fat, suggests research on more than 2,000 women at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. It may be because stress increases the levels of hormones that contribute to overeating. Help slow down hormone production in minutes: When you're stressed, go someplace quiet and breathe slowly and deeply through your nose.

For more ideas on how to eat healthy without feeling deprived, get daily tips from a registered dietitian at Self.com's Eat Like Me blog.