By: Meghan Ames, Dietetic Intern, Johns Hopkins University Date: 1/13/12

Appropriately-timed with New Year’s resolutions, the message, Enjoy your food, but eat less, is the focus of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 communications campaign for early 2012. As a national strategic partner in USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) Nutrition Communicators Network, the International Food and Information Council (IFIC) Foundation supports this message and features it in our recently-published list of tips for trimming down.

Still, there is so much more to consider when it comes to applying this message to our lives. 

This message is comprised of two, equally important parts. First—enjoy your food. Second—eat less of it. Which part jumps out at you? 

Take a minute and focus on the first part - Enjoy your food. “I enjoy my food all the time,” you might say. “I certainly enjoyed the half box of donut holes I devoured while triaging my email this morning.” But did you really enjoy them? When was the last time you took a moment to stop and really taste your food? As Americans, we are often in a rush, distracted and multi-tasking – even while eating. It is this type of mindless eating that may have really gotten us in trouble, according to Brian Wansink, a behavioral psychologist. The average individual makes more than 200 food decisions each day—many of which we’re not even aware of! 

Dr. Wansink postulates that it is the mindless margin that added on those extra pounds, and it is the mindless margin that can help to shed them. The mindless margin includes those calories you eat without realizing it—it’s the calories you probably wouldn’t miss that much if they were gone. It’s the 2 sugar packets you put in your coffee or the blueberry muffin you eat every morning for breakfast. Small changes like switching to a no-calorie sweetener or trading in that muffin for a piece of toast with a thin spread of jam can cut out calories that, over time, could result in weight loss. The best part: By making a few small changes and/or substitutions, you really don’t have to make any big sacrifices in taste or enjoyment!

So, enjoy your food and be mindful about what you eat.

Now, how about that second part? Eat less. Portion control. This is another great strategy for turning resolutions into results. Okay, so maybe you just can’t part with your morning blueberry muffin? That is okay! Here’s the trick—try just eating half of it or have just one smaller, mini-muffin instead. You don’t have to give up the foods and beverages you love—you shouldn’t! Just be sensible about the amount that you consume and really, really enjoy and savor it (see first part of the message).

This idea raises an important point. How much should you eat? Well, let me let you in on a little secret—calories count. They are kind of like a budget. You can only eat so many calories in a day (without ballooning up like Violet Beauregarde from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), so spend wisely. Choosing lower-calorie, nutrient-rich foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low- and fat-free dairy products, lean meats, beans and nuts most of the time can help you manage your weight.

“Well, just how many calories do I need?” you might ask. “And how many are in my morning blueberry muffin?” These are great questions. Knowing your number is a critical first step in managing your weight. Although nutrition labels often include 2,000 calories as a daily intake reference, individual calorie requirements actually vary greatly with gender, weight, height, age and level of physical activity. You can learn more about your calorie needs and even create personalized meal plans at the newly-launched USDA SuperTracker.

All packaged foods and beverages and many prepared foods, even those at some restaurants, include a nutrition label and/or information on a related website. This information will tell you how many calories are in a serving. Compare the serving size with how much you are eating or drinking to get a sense of how many calories you’re getting. Then think about how that compares to your daily calorie needs. You don’t need to become a walking calorie calculator, but try to be conscious how calories in the foods and beverages you eat throughout the day provide you with the energy you need to maintain a healthy weight.

Finally, it is important to balance your calorie intake (the food and beverages you eat and drink) with the calories you burn (what you expend in a day through basic metabolism and physical activity). Be mindful of times when you can up your energy expenditure – take the stairs instead of the elevator… walk a little farther…perhaps a little faster…dance to your favorite tunes.

Think before you chew. How can you close that mindless margin and open your mind to enjoying your food?