Not only is this the easy way to practice portion control, this tactic is a helpful way for those of us who are on the fence about weight loss to get started. By simply eating half of your usual choices, you can still enjoy your favorite foods while cutting your caloric intake substantially. The trick is to find ways to make the cuts in foods you eat on a regular basis.
There are some major ways to cut your portions in half, like boxing up half of your entrée as soon as it's served or splitting your deli sandwich with a co-worker, but these take some getting used to. There are also small, sneakier ways to meet your weight-loss efforts halfway; they'll be virtually "painless" and eventually add up in major calories cut. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Use half your normal amount of half-and-half in your morning coffee. Calories saved: 20 per tablespoon.
- Drink half of your 20-ounce bottle of soda today and half tomorrow instead a whole bottle each day. Calories saved: 125 each day.
- Use one slice of bread when making a sandwich instead of two slices. Calories saved: 70.
- Use half as much mayo as usual on your sandwich. Calories saved: 100 per tablespoon.
- Use half as much olive oil as usual when you sauté veggies for dinner. Calories saved: 119 per tablespoon.
These may sound like small things, but they are key to making changes you can stick with. Couple them with your bigger changes and it all adds up to pounds lost!
To find out how many calories you can save by eating less of your favorite foods, visit About.com's Calorie Count where you can search a huge database of foods or browse by food type, category or restaurant.
Previous Daily Tips:
Get Your Grill On!
Know Your Danger Zones
