Recently, a few surgeries and some major down time triggered a roller coaster of weight changes for me. I hit my breaking point one afternoon when I stopped into a convenience store and bought a king size candy bar and an extra large soda. In less than five minutes my 1200-calorie, three-dollar snack was devoured. I was stuffed, and for the life of me I couldn’t remember what it tasted like. I knew then that I needed to reevaluate my eating habits.

With money being tight at the time, I decided the best course was to trim the size of my portions. Very quickly I noticed that I was not only getting complete and filling meals, but I wasn’t being eaten alive by my grocery bills. With exercise, I was able to lose 30 lbs. in about six months. With the money I saved, I was able to treat myself to some new tools for my workshop.

Other tips to guide you through portion control Never super-size. Check packages for serving sizes. Double check cans like chili as they are often two full servings. Try to make your mealtimes last for 20 minutes. That is approximately the amount of time it takes before your body realizes that it is full. To learn more about what constitutes a serving size, check out the US Dietary Guidelines for Americans at: http://www.health.gov/ dietaryguidelines/dga2000/ usingdietguide.pdf

We’ve all heard about it, but what is portion control? You’ll be glad to hear it’s NOT a diet. It’s just a matter of reducing your intake of food to the recommended serving size. This is the number-one way to keep trim, or help lose weight while still getting to eat what you want - even junk food. With portion control you will see that extra weight go straight to your wallet.

To start out, take a look at your breakfast. Instead of a large glass of orange juice, drink just eight ounces. Whether it’s fruit, yogurt, eggs, bacon, or cereal consume only the recommended serving size. For the first few days, you might feel a little hungry, but remember, you are getting a full serving. Your stomach will adjust to your new eating style. In a short time, your body will realize it is satisfied with less.

Portion control in restaurants is probably the biggest challenge. Restaurants tend to serve meals that are 3-4 times the recommended serving size. Try eating 1/3 of your meal and take home the rest. Now you have lunch and dinner for the next day. Ordering ala carte is another excellent strategy.

Snacks are fine to eat in moderation and help keep your spirits up. I couldn’t live without chocolate. Try cutting a candy bar in half. Enjoy one section a now and a section tomorrow. See how easy it is to cut your calorie intake and your cash output?

How much can you really save? Let’s take a look at your daily glass of orange juice: One 64 oz carton of orange juice is $4.59. If you normally fill your 16 oz glass you will spend $419 per year on orange juice. If you pour just the recommended 8 ounces you will drop your orange juice expense to just $209.50 per year. What else would you rather spend that saved $209.50 on?

As you start eating the recommended portion size, you will be amazed out how long the food in your pantry lasts. Cereal that was normally eaten in just a few days can last two weeks. Since most Americans eat three times the recommended portion size, you can save 2/3 on your grocery bill!

You’ll be surprised at what a difference in savings cutting a few calories can make. You will save hundreds of dollars on your grocery and restaurant bills. But one of the biggest benefits to eating with portion control is the ability to eat all of your favorite foods without the fear of gaining weight. You don’t want to be afraid or feel guilty because of food - it’s too yummy!

Bob Tau lives in the Sierra foothills and makes his living building violins.