Your best just got better

Split-deal

Do you know how sometimes restaurants serve incredibly large portions with their entrees? Well, here's one that's made a huge difference in my life!

Get an extra plate. If you're enjoying dinner with a friend, suggest sharing an entree. Most restaurants include over a single serving of food with each plate. More than enough (and often too much) to finish in one sitting.

The immediate benefit of this wil be to cut out 200-400 calories that day! For anyone looking to make a change and see it sooner than later, this is one way to keep focused AND experience regular success on your fit and effective lifestyle.

*By the way, if I'm dining alone, as us traveling consultants often do, I will order a to-go box WITH my entree. When it arrives, the first thing I do is place half the order in the to-go box. Then, I'm left with an almost perfectly sized meal - for one!

Just a little bit smaller now!

Ok here's a trade secret I learned that I continue to share with fit and effective people. Especially those who are in the office, at home, on the road, in long meetings, generally...too busy to really take care of themselves at 100% every day.

Buy a couple of plates for the house. These plates should be a "little bit smaller" than the ones you're normally using for meals. The idea here is, if you "fill your plate," you'll actually be taking less food than before back to the table.

The immediate impact of this would be anywhere from 100-400 fewer calories taken in! So, for the nights you're home this and next month, give it a try. I would love to hear how it goes!

Soda drinker? Still?

Ok, so I admit to enjoying a cold soda every now and then. Here's something to try (as usual, I'm offering an opportunity to experiment. If it works, keep on doing it. If not, try it and move on to something else!

Consider drinking a diet cola instead of the regular. Yes, the taste is different, but you'll ingest almost 250 fewer calories reaching for the diet! If you're a "multi-per-day" soda drinker, just take one or two diets less, and see what happens!

As with all of these suggestions, they are not meant to limit you in any way. The last thing you want in this kind of a situation is to feel like you're going to die(t)! So, look for what works, and keep on doing it!

It's lunchtime, just watch what you eat!

So, on your way out to grab lunch? Go get that sub from the sandwich place you visit. Only this time, skip the mayo. I know, this may be a big deal, but I'm only suggesting you do it once a week.

Try this for a couple of months. Skip the mayo (and possibly the cheese?) once a week or so, and see what happens. You'll cut out about 100 calories per lunch, an easy way to start doing the little things!

Not enough water...

Have you ever ended a day feeling parched? How many times have you "known" you didn't drink enough water?

If you have to make the choice between an iced tea or fruit drink and another glass of water, I'd recommend you choose the water "every now and then." First of all, you need the straight stuff. Second of all, you'll cut over 200 calories out of your diet that day. Do that every day for a month, and watch a pound or two fall off your frame!

It seems the jury is still out on exactly how much water you DO need every day. How about this goal: Drink a little bit more today, than you did yesterday!

Eating habits

I'm consistently amazed at the human ability to choose and process nutrition. I can say it would be easy for me to spend a month or two just studying food, nutrition, and preparation to deliver a report to busy people.

Something like, "I know you have too much to do, and you're always busy, but here are some real solid reasons to continue watching that process."

Why eat when?

It was time to meet with a "nutrition expert" again. Why did I do this every few months? Mainly to deal with new(er) habits, and prepare for the changing seasons. Oh yeah, with an increase in travel (26 nights in hotels, 26 dinners in restaurants in one month), I knew it was time for some more information.