What’s the easiest way to cut calories? Practice portion control! Here’s how to trick your brain into thinking you’re eating more than you are – and help you win the fight against the forces of fat. These tips come from the experts at Rodale Publishing:

• Downsize your dishes. Unless you’re eating off your grandmother’s old china, you probably have the newer, plus-size plates around 12 inches in diameter. Studies show that oversize dishes encourage oversize portions – and people tend to eat what’s on their plate – even if they’re already stuffed. So, what’s the fix on this? Give your dishes to Goodwill. And buy some 10-inch dinner plates. They sell 10-inch sets at places like Bed Bath and Beyond, and you’ll instantly be eating less.
• Shrink your snacks. Volunteers at Cornell University were given Wheat Thins to munch on. Half got a single bag containing 100 crackers. The rest got 4 smaller bags of 25 crackers each. The result? Those who got the jumbo bag ate 20% more. So, outsmart your snack habit by sticking to the new 100-calorie packs for everything from Doritos to Oreos to goldfish crackers.
• Drink out of tall glasses. Studies show that even experienced bartenders pour more liquid into short, wide glasses than into tall, narrow ones. Which increases the calorie count. Another tip: If you love red wine, pour smaller servings. Studies show that even when wine glasses are identical, people tend to pour bigger quantities of red wine than white.
• Eat half your entrée and wait 10 minutes. Why? While you chat and sip water, your stomach will have a chance to digest and decide whether you’ve had enough. Then box up the rest to go.