Some Tips on Cutting Calorie Consumption from the Mayo Clinic

Most folks overeat. That’s why nearly two-thirds of us are overweight and half of them are obese. Dr. Robert D. Sheeler, Medical Editor of the Mayo Clinic Health Letter wrote, “Finding a way to eat fewer calories throughout the day is one of the basic objectives of weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight. While food choice is important, research has also shown that the ways in which food is served and stored — and the environment in which it’s eaten — can be significant factors that can lead you to unknowingly consume unwanted calories.”


He offered some simple tips to avoid eating more than you want.

“Select smaller bowls, plates, and spoons for serving and eating — Research has shown that people unconsciously eat more food when it’s served in or eaten from larger dishes.”

Indeed, I think one of the most important lessons I learned as far as getting my weight under control was portion control. Know what a serving size is and adhere to it. Get a food scale and use it.

When faced with big bags, measure out a single serving and put the rest back in your cupboard.

“Get rid of high-calorie foods or leftovers; store them in an inconvenient location or in opaque containers — Seeing a food item can trigger you to eat it. Plus, easy-to-reach food in a kitchen cabinet is more readily eaten than is food in a basement pantry. Exploit these phenomena by placing healthy, low-calorie foods within sight and easy reach.”

And, finally, “Buy small packages and serve or order smaller quantities — Larger packages or larger portions often lead people to eat more than they would have if the serving or package were smaller.”

This is another variation on the theme of portion control. I have found that when I snack, I need to measure out one serving of the snack and close up the bag or container and put it back in the cupboard. That way, I don’t sit there mindlessly munching my way to a weight problem. This is a perfect use of a food scale.

Dr. Sheeler concludes, “These days, taking care of yourself is a necessity of life — not only to stay healthy but also to avoid rising medical bills if at all possible. We make it our mission to provide practical, easy-to-understand information on topics of interest to millions of health-conscious people like you!”

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