Something to think about

I was reading an article online in the Eat This, Not That franchise and came across this article. What really struck me about all the tips was #12. It really made me think. It also made me think, that if I can consciously focus on this it could be really beneficial to my health.
As a person who loves a 'deal', and always goes for the deal (sometimes even buying things or more of things just because there is a 'deal' going on) this really hit home with me. I love the 'deal' so much and it is so ingrained in my psyche that I will spend an extra 30 minutes in a store (which I don't have, and with whining kids no less) because the salesperson just told me that if I buy another shirt I'll get it for half off (even though I am done shopping, am at the checkout counter, and have already tried on everything in the store that even remotely caught my interest, and I didn't find another shirt.). But because its a 'deal' I'll now go spend time frantically trying on things again, or trying new things that really didn't interest me the first time, just to see if I can find that top, so I can get it for half off. Insane, right? Yes, sometimes I think it is. I'm ashamed to admit it, but yes, there are things in my closet that I really didn't need to buy. And even regret some of those purchases. Sooooo, you can see that to wrap my head around the following 'tip' is going to take alot of willpower, and 'inside my head conversations', like "no, remember I don't need the bigger popcorn, its just extra calories and I'll be full and over-satisfied after the first few handfuls anyway. Stay AWAY from the extra 50cents!".  LOL
So you are probably wondering by now what this 'tip' is, so here it is re-posted from Eat This, Not That...

12 Best Restaurant Weight Loss Tips

Weight Loss Tip #12

Start small

Here’s the good news: No one is going to stop you from ordering seconds. So be like any good businessperson, and start small. Here’s exactly how expensive it really is when you go for the “bargain”:

* 7-Eleven. Gulp to Double Gulp Coca-Cola Classic: 37 cents extra buys 450 more calories

* Cinnabon. Minibon to Classic Cinnabon: 48 more cents buys 370 more calories

* Movie theater. Small to medium unbuttered popcorn: 71 additional cents buys you 500 more calories

* Convenience store. Regular to “The Big One” Snickers: 33 more cents packs on 230 more calories

* McDonald’s. Quarter Pounder with Cheese to Medium Quarter Pounder with Cheese Extra Value Meal: An additional $1.41 gets you 660 more calories

* Subway. The 6- to 12-inch Tuna Sub: $1.53 more buys 420 more calories

* Wendy’s. Classic Double with Cheese to Classic Double with Cheese Old Fashioned Combo Meal: $1.57 extra buys you 600 more calories

* Baskin Robbins. Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, Kids’ Scoop, to Double Scoop: For another $1.62, you’ve added 390 calories

The bottom line: For 8 bucks, you’ve bought yourself 3,620 calories. If you eat each of these foods once a week but go with the smaller size—again, your favorite foods, but more reasonable sizes—you’d save about $417 a year. That's enough to put you on a plane to the Bahamas, where you can show off your new body. After all, you’d also save 188,240 calories a year, or 54 pounds of belly fat! It's hard to imagine a better investment.

 

 

 

I always look at it in the 'here and now' version, of how much I'm saving financially right now "It's only $1.53 more for a foot long sub, than a 6" at Subway, so its a better 'deal' to buy the foot long". What I need to do is look more to the future, first of all, that all those 'little increases' DO add up to annual savings, and more importantly, that I don't need or want the extra calories of a larger item!

 

This article made an impact on me, hopefully it helps you too :)