One of my neighbors traded in her large dinner plates for smaller lunch-size plates in an effort to encourage her family to eat smaller portions. Since the amount we choose to eat is just as important to weight loss as what we're eating, what are your favorite tips and tricks for decreasing portion sizes without feeling deprived?

We actually have begun to cook less food. As a habit, we used to cook enough food to feed an army at dinner. The philosophy always was better to have too much and put it away than too little and have people still hungry. However, having the food out there on the table cooked and ready to eat was a big temptation to overeat it. So, we cook less, have less leftovers, and don't eat as much overall.

What a great idea! I know someone who cooked a smaller amount of starchy foods for dinner, such as potato or rice, but made extra vegetables. That way if her family was still hungry, they stocked up on veggies!