Today's Tip: Portion Control

Anyone who has had success with weight loss (meaning they lost the weight and then kept it off) will tell you that portion control played a big factor in their victory.  Seriously, you can cut the calories of your favorite foods by 50% without changing anything about them -- just eat half!  For example, if you usually eat a deli sandwich at lunch, eat half of it, but replace your chips with carrot sticks. Still hungry? Before you reach for the rest of your sandwich, munch on a piece of fruit or more veggies.  Cut up a red bell pepper into wide strips and dip it into salsa instead of a chip. Produce takes longer to eat and digest than other foods, which means you'll have more time to notice you're getting full. Plus, the added veggies and fruit will help you feel more satisfied for longer than chips would have.
 

Plan A: A serving...check the nutrition label to find out -- you may be surprised at how small an actual serving looks compared to what you usually eat. Learn what a serving is of your favorite snacks; start by measuring them out the next few times you eat them. Once you get into the habit of seeing how much a serving really looks like, you'll eventually be able to "eyeball" servings and know how much is too much.

Plan B: B gone buffets!  Is it really possible to practice portion control in an "all-you-can-eat" situation? No matter how good a "deal" ordering the buffet might be, is it really the best "deal" for you?

Plan C: Control portions by mentally comparing them with common, every day objects that you are used to seeing. Some reminders: 3oz. of meat is the size of a deck of cards, or one cup of potatoes, rice or pasta looks like a tennis ball.

Plan D: Do use your muffin tin!  Instead of making a big egg casserole, use your muffin tin to help control the portion you eat.  Mix up your casserole, and then pour it into your 12-count muffin tin to cook.  If the recipe makes 12 servings, you will know that one casserole muffin is your serving.  You can also freeze the muffins you don't use for later use - what an easy breakfast on a busy morning!  Pinterest has some good, healthy egg casserole muffin recipes if you don't have a favorite.  Remember you can always use half eggs and half egg whites in any recipe, or egg substitute, to cut back the calories.

Check back tomorrow for more muffin tin uses!