9. Take lunch to work rather than buying it
If you make your packed lunch yourself, it’s much easier to make healthy choices and to check nutrition information.
10. Use measuring cups and spoons when you are preparing meals
Weighing and measuring out every ingredient can be off-putting. But using measuring cups or spoons is a quick and simple way to control portions, especially if the amount you eat creeps up over time. For rice, pasta, breakfast cereals, plate up the portion you normally eat and then find a cup or scoop that this fits into to maintain this, or find a measure that is slightly smaller to help you cut down. If you would like more guidance on reducing portion sizes to help you lose weight then our guide to healthy weight loss can help you to identify how much you need of each of the food groups.
For oils and spreads, it’s particularly important to measure your portions. One tablespoon of oil contains 100kcals, so pouring it straight from a bottle can quickly increase the calorie content of your food. Measure out oil with a teaspoon, or use a low calorie cooking spray. If you use a non-stick pan, less than a teaspoon of oil will often be enough for frying.