I have a chapter in my book Thirty Slim Days which shares
one of the simplest slimming tips ever.
The concept, and the entire chapter, could be summed up in three
words: Choose size small.
That’s it!
Whenever you have the choice of a size to order, whether it’s
a coffee, chocolate bar, menu item, package size or even the size of a piece of
fruit – choose the smallest. What I’ve
found is that it’s the first bites (or sips) of something that are the most
pleasurable.
When I am seduced by the value notion of ‘it’s only thirty
cents more for the bigger size coffee’!
Or the eyes-are-bigger-than-my-belly ‘the small portion I’m serving up
looks tiny, I want more!’, invariably the second half I find myself slogging
through just to finish it.
In the end it’s not even better value to buy the bigger size
because I have spent more money and taken in more calories, and I probably
haven’t gained any more enjoyment from the larger size.
My husband Paul often talks about diminishing returns, such
as if you go back for seconds. Seconds
are never as good as that first taste, and I find choosing size large is the
same. (The photo on this post is the tiny sandwich my brother ordered at the
airport when we dropped him off a few days ago. He, Paul
and I all ordered small coffees and we even had a discussion about it. We agreed that the flavour is better, more
concentrated, and after the first few sips you don’t really want a whole
large size to finish).
It may not seem like you’re doing anything differently, but
you will effortlessly be banking calorie savings every day if you make the
decision to choose size small. One
decision once, not decisions every day on which size to buy.
The other cool thing about choosing size small is that over
and over you are affirming to yourself ‘choose size small’ and isn’t that a
nice thing to embed in your mind? Choosing the
small size navy boat-neck top off the rack because that’s the size you
are? Choosing size small lacy blush pink
knickers because even Medium will swim on you?
So it also helps you to think about the size you want to be when you choose that
small portion. You can choose the
size you want to be. Choose size small
when you eat or drink = being a size small.
Choose size large = being a size large.
Easy!
I hope you love this tip too. The fun thing is you can implement it today
without any planning, fanfare or deprivation!
Choose size small!
xx Fiona
PS. You can read a
sample of Thirty Slim Days on my Amazon affiliate link here. It’s full of ideas like this so you can be
slimmer without going on an *actual* diet. Yay!
You can find me here too: