On the last post I shared the first five and now it’s time to get right to 5 more mindful eating habits that will yield weight results and help you lose the weight for good.

1. Pass on mayo for all prepared sandwiches and ask for any rich sauces to be served on the side.

Mayonnaise is not a friend to the weight conscious person. I actually watched a friend make it from scratch once and that experience definitely discouraged my future consumption. Basically, mayo is a well-blended mixture of pure oil and eggs.

By passing on the mayo for your next burger, you can shave about 150 calories and 17 grams of fat right off the top.

2 . Use an olive oil mayo/yogurt for prepared salads and yogurt instead of sour cream in casseroles.

Tuna and chicken salad are two of my favorite lunch options,not to mention potato salad for spring cookout! So, I had to figure out a way to make these possible. Although I pass on the mayo as a condiment on all sandwiches, it is difficult to think of prepared salads without it.

I use Kraft Olive Oil Mayonnaise whenever I need mayo. Here is a nutritional comparison from the Kraft website.

 Kraft: Products and Brands

The difference in the fat and calorie content of these two types of mayo is considerable; however, this does not mean that mayo is ever a light option. Even the olive oil option is 100% fat.

Because of this, do not exceed 2 tablespoons in your salad. Instead, add mustard and yogurt to finish out your dressing. For some, this new take on prepared salads will require you to change your expectation that prepared salads should be white and smothered in mayo.

In terms of casseroles, switch completely to Greek yogurt as an add-in for all prepared casseroles that call for mayo or sour cream. I made this switch over a year ago and no one in my family ever noticed the difference, but the difference in calories and fat is huge. For example, an 8-ounce serving of sour cream has 485 calories and 47.5 grams of fat, while an 8-ounce serving of Greek yogurt has 130 calories and 0 fat grams…enough said.

3. Do not eat any snack directly from the bag.

Sitting in front of the television with a bag of your favorite snack chips is the picture of mindless eating. This is a deadly habit for weight control because it throws portion size and mindful eating out the window!

You may be thinking, “But, I am eating a healthy snack, so it really shouldn’t matter, right?”…wrong.  Even healthy snacking has it’s limits. For instance, I have lauded the virtue of eating almonds on several posts, but here’s the thing; nuts are still packed with fat and calories. A serving of 22 almonds has around 160 calories and 14 fat grams. So, while you should eat them for the good trans-fats and hunger-satisfying fiber, you can not mindlessly down a can of almonds in one sitting.

Make it a habit to remove your snack serving from the bag before you start eating. This allows you to mindfully determine your consumption. Even if your snack isn’t particularly healthy, you may have enough cushion in your daily calorie count to enjoy it anyway; as long as you have mindfully considered the cost.

4. At a restaurant, separate out the amount you intend to eat and remove the rest before you take the first bite.

Restaurant servings are notoriously large. Again, this is an opportunity to be proactive with your food choices. I love to eat out and I enjoy splurging a little when I do. For instance, I like to eat a few fries when I eat a hamburger. The key is to count out the amount I can have and then remove the rest from reach.

You know how it goes. You intended to eat only half of your spaghetti, but then you just kept nibbling away at it and before you knew it you were stuffed and the spaghetti was gone. Actually, restaurants have become more accustomed to special requests. It can be helpful to ask your server to bring a to-go box with the meal.

Another great option is to share your entree with someone else. Not only do you save on the calories, but sharing can save you a considerable amount of money as well.

5. Remember that an ice cream serving is only 1/2 cup. Make it a banana split.

We all love ice cream; especially when it comes to an evening snack. But, it is very easy to underestimate the serving size of ice cream. The serving size of ice cream is one-half cup, which is equivalent in size to a medium lemon. Hmm, that’s not much is it?

Realistically, few of us are going to be satisfied with that tiny amount. So, how can we create a more favorable alternative. First, you need to serve your ice cream in a reasonable sized dessert bowl. Secondly, you can really amp up the impact of your ice cream by adding one sliced banana. A banana will add about 100 calories to your dessert; making it come in at about 250 calories. But now, you have added a rich source of potassium, vitamin B-6 and fiber to your dessert as well. In addition to the yummy taste, the increased fiber will cause you to feel much more satisfied than if you had eaten the ice cream alone.

Oh, and one last thing to remember about ice creams is that they are not all created equal. Premium grade ice cream has a higher butter-fat content and less air than regular ice cream, which typically means about 40% more calories.

There you have my best tips for mindful eating habits that can help you lose weight for good. I think the reason I have found these to be so successful is because I did not have to change anything about my likes and preferences in order to implement them. They are more about tweaking my current lifestyle and establishing a weight loss mindset to include more mindful, healthy choices.

Let me know how they work for you.

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