any less full, either, researchers say.
Serve The Smart Way
Family-style meals, with platters and bowls of food on the table, invite people to go back for seconds and thirds. To cut hundreds of calories, keep all that food in the kitchen. Fill plates before bringing them to the table and sitting down. Only seeing the food that’s directly on your plate will make you less likely to overeat.
RELATED: Drink This Before Every Meal To Lose Weight
Lighten Up Your Drinks
Syrups, sour mix, sugary fruit juices, and creamy additions turn drinks into sugary, high-calorie desserts. Order drinks mixed with club soda, tonic water, cranberry juice, or a squeeze of citrus; or try distilled liquors on the rocks. You’ll save up to 800 calories.
Measure Your Pasta
One cup of pasta is just 220 calories. But people tend to overeat it, both at home and at restaurants. Those family-sized portions at restaurants can be up to 480 percent larger than that 1 cup, according to New York University research. That’s 1,056 calories.
Leave Leftovers
Leave 25 percent of your food on the plate at every meal. Save what’s remaining as leftovers for your lunch the next day. If you normally eat 2,000 calories or more each day, you’ll cut 500 calories.
Share Your Dessert
In addition to checking out menus for smaller versions of the desserts you love, you can also save calories just by splitting a regular-sized dessert with your friends. Everyone can enjoy a delicious treat without feeling guilty!
Be Wary Of The “Healthy” Menu
When the menu is full of healthy fare, people underestimate calories by as much as 35 percent, research by the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab shows. They’re also more likely to order drinks, sides, and desserts, with up to 131 percent more calories.
Check Your Oil
Watch the amount of oil that you cook with, and make sure you’re not using too much. When you’re at a restaurant, don’t be afraid to ask what types of oils are typically used in a dish you’ve chosen – many times there could be more oil used than you think. Ask to have your food cooked with a little stock instead of oil, or order steamed or poached entrées: you’ll save 124 calories per tablespoon of oil.