I could eat breakfast for every meal of the day. Oatmeal, smoothies, pancakes, toast, muffins — all of it is too good. So good, in fact, that I was having a hard time reigning in my calorie amounts. Making a few changes helped me lose weight [1], but I also keep these three things on hand.
- Is that my teddy bear bowl? Yes, Sadie. Yes, it is. One of the easiest ways I prevent myself from overeating cereal or steel-cut oatmeal [2] is to eat it out of my kid's bowls. They're smaller than a typical soup or cereal-sized bowl, so I can really only fill up about a cup and a half of food. It's the perfect amount to feel full and satisfied but not overly stuffed. I also use a small spoon to encourage me to take tinier bites, eating slower and allowing my brain to register that I've eaten enough.
- Eight ounces, not 12: Overnight oats [3] has become a go-to breakfast not only because it's quick and offers the protein, fiber, and healthy fats I need to feel full for hours, but also because I can measure everything out ahead of time and know that it's under 400 calories. The key to keeping the calories in check is using an eight-ounce mason jar instead of the larger 12-ounce. It fits all my ingredients perfectly with no room left to add on extra toppings. I make it in the jar and I eat it out of the jar, because if I pour it into a bowl, I'm more likely to want to slice a banana on top and add a sprinkling of nuts, which would easily tack on an extra 100 calories.
- Stainless or plastic: I have a stock of reusable, colorful, plastic, and stainless steel straws that I always use when I have a smoothie for breakfast [4]. I found that sipping on a skinny straw makes me drink slower than if I gulp down mouthfuls straight from the glass. It takes me twice the time to finish my smoothie, so by the end, my belly feels full.
