Hey Sister! Today I’m’ sharing easy tips & tricks on ways that you can work to easily cut down on calories beyond just making sure that your portion sizes are in check! A lot of these tips you can easily apply to your life- no measurements, tracking and more required! These tips are a GREAT way to start simple and work into busy mama lives! We’re just gonna dive right in and start sharing!

⭐Use smaller plates: instead of using your normal sized plates, switch to salad plates. You’re more likely to put less on your plate. If you finish your plate, sip on water for a few minutes and once your food settles, see how you feel. Your body will tell you if it needs more or if you’ve hit satisfied!

⭐Shop with intention & learn to look at labels… by doing the footwork in the grocery store and reading labels, you can see how many calories, carbs, protein, and fats are in different foods.

⭐Limit your alcohol and empty calorie consumption. As we talked about in this course, alcohol can easily lead to empty calorie consumption. However, if you match 1 glass of alcohol to 1 full glass of water, you’ll find yourself drinking less & staying hydrated! Plus, you’re likely to feel fuller which will help result in consuming less calories

⭐Eat slowly & mindfully… this one is a fun exercise in learning to find the joy in eating again! Savor the yummy flavors and enjoy what you are eating! I remember reading this short story one time about a kid who came inside from playing and begged his grandma for a glass of chocolate milk. She said have a glass of water first and then I’ll make you a glass. But they persisted that chocolate milk would be the BEST thing ever… so she made him the glass of chocolate milk. The kid chugged it and ran back outside. His grandma made him come back in and asked why he HAD to have it if he wasn’t going to enjoy it. I think that even though it’s told in short, that is presents such an important idea… that we should enjoy the food that we choose, no matter what it is. Be thankful that we have the gift of taste, smell, and the ability to process foods for our health. Plus, science says that it takes 20 minutes for your brain to process the fact that your stomach is full, so as we savor it, we are actually helping prevent from over-eating!

⭐Pay attention to portion sizes. Use the easy system that I’ve shown you with your hand as a guide. You can easily eye ball different sizes and easily cut excess calories by not overeating!

⭐Keep your food in the kitchen and eat at the table. When you don’t have seconds sitting right in front of you, its easier to sit back and enjoy the conversation with your family while your food begins to process instead of digging right into seconds!

⭐If you’re hungry between meals, pour yourself a tall glass of water first to see if you’re dehydrated. Sometimes people think they’re hungry when they’re really just thirsty.

⭐Before any main meal throughout the day, you should drink a glass of water 30 minutes before to help with digestion and keep your caloric intake in check. Not only does the water prepare your intestines for the food coming down the pike, it also prevents you from over-eating, since the water lines your stomach and makes you feel fuller faster.

⭐Are you a big salad eater? Easily cut calories by asking for your salad dressing on the side (not pre-poured or mixed!) and dip your fork prior to each bite… you might be surprised at how little dressing your use AND that each bit is flavorful with dressing!

For even more tips, check out: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/35-ways-to-cut-calories#section4

Share any tips you have below for helping with portion control and cutting calories on-the-go!