Managing holiday-sized portions

Start before you head out the door. Leave the elastic/stretch/loose- fitting clothes at home. Wearing your slim-fitting slacks, a hip-hugging dress, or your smallest belt with no additional holes left to expand, is the first step to managing portion-sizes.

Safety in numbers. There are always healthy eaters at a party if you just have to look for them. Take this opportunity to seek them out and get to know their tips and tricks for keeping their meals and themselves lighter. You will be less inclined to eat large servings in their company.

Drink up. Literally – serve yourself a drink in a tall, skinny glass. The larger the base and the fatter the glass, the more likely you are to fill it.

Size matters. Many people will pull out their fanciest (read: largest) dishes for special occasions. Opt to use a salad or dessert plate for your main course, instead. Since smaller plates have less surface area, you will fill your plate without over-filling your belly

Itty-bitty spoon committee. At a study conducted at the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University, subjects served themselves 57% more when they used a 3oz scoop versus a smaller scoop! Instead of using utensils provided, serve yourself with a teaspoon. 

How do you manage holiday-sized portions at restaurants? Don't Supersize Me!

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