How are you doing with our November Healthy Habit of being more portion aware?  We're collecting lots of great tips from our Cooking Light community on how they keep portions in check, which will be featured in the upcoming Healthy Habits book. We also tapped several leading nutrition experts to tell us their thoughts about managing portions. Here's a sneak peek at what a few of them had to say...

Jill Castle, MS, RD, pediatric nutritionist and blogger, Just the Right Byte

"When eating out, be aware of words that warn of portion distortion -- value meal, combo, ultimate, tub, supreme, biggie, deluxe and super size.  It may be tempting to think more is better, but in this case, more is calories."

New York University's Lisa Young, PhD, RD, author of The Portion Teller Plan and one  of the country's leading experts on portion control

"People eat in units -- one bagel, one muffin, one soda or one steak -- and they don't really pay attention to how big that unit is. Just because you're eating one of something, it doesn't mean that's the appropriate amount of food you should be eating."

Michelle May, MD, mindful eating expert, blogger and author of Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat

"Once you have the amount of food you think you'll need, physically divide it in half on your plate to remind yourself to stop half way and check in again. This little 'speed bump' will slow you down so you can reconnect with your hunger and fullness level."

Marsha Hudnall, MS, RD, blogger, A Weight Lifted

"Think of portion sizes as a place to start.  It builds in an automatic stopping place that gives you the opportunity to think if you really want more.  Then pay attention to your internal hunger cues.  If you decide you want more, that's fine to have a second helping. But you're making a conscious decision rather than just eating all that's on your plate.

Manuel Villacorta, MS, RD, blogger, Eating Free

"Popular diets tend to demonize certain foods like potatoes, pasta, cheese and even fruit, yet the reality is no food is fattening unless you over consume it.  Food is not the problem, your portions are.  I think it's important to eat with pleasure and without guilt. Just keep sight of how much you're eating."

I especially liked Manuel's message that no food is fattening unless you over consume it.  It really all comes down to portions.  You can enjoy all foods as long as you're not over-doing it.  One way to keep tabs on your portions is to write down what you eat, at least for a few days.  It can be a real eye-opener.  Many of our readers said they rely on mobile apps to help do the tracking.  What about you?  Have you found some tricks to help you manage your portions?  Let us know what works for you!

By: Jennifer Chinn

I’ll have to admit, I had a big advantage when starting to incorporate Cooking Light’s portion control advice into my life. My husband, Mark, went out of town for work for two weeks. I got to experiment without having to worry about anyone else’s eating habits influencing me.

I already use salad-sized plates for meals, but I never considered applying this concept to glasses. It is apple cider season in Michigan, and there is nothing like fresh-pressed cider from our local cider mill. Our regular drinking glasses probably fit four or five “portions,” and it is so sad to just pour a little bit at the bottom. I pulled out some pretty little juice glasses, and they are now dedicated to cider. Not only are the portions controlled, these glasses are special because my mother gave them to me from when my sisters and I were kids, so I am happy to have a reason to use them more often. Now I just need to find a fun (small) ice cream dish. 

I’ve discovered the “slice meats” tip doesn’t just apply to meat. I tried it with a homemade individual pizza, cutting it into a lot of bite-sized pieces instead of just a few slices and spreading them out on a plate. It takes longer to eat so I enjoy it more.

My favorite tip has turned out to be “eat before you eat.” To make this happen, I make sure to always have lettuce and raw veggies chopped and ready to go. Otherwise it would be easy to come home at night, decide I am too tired to do the prep and skip the salad. It works!

Once Mark was back, I was in the habit of having a salad before the main course. Now I can eat salad while he has one portion then have my portion while he has a second. Since he has a physically active job, two portions are appropriate for him, but not for me. I find I am not “jealous” that he gets to eat more because we are eating for the same amount of time. Therefore, I feel satisfied with the appropriate portion.

Between those salads and the “freebie foods” tip, I am eating more fruits and vegetables than ever. Mark and I enjoy tandem bicycling and just competed in a 30-mile mountain bike race. I felt stronger and faster during the race, plus recovered better, than I had all summer. I think those veggies had a lot to do with it. Talk about inspiration to continue!

Looking back over the past few weeks, it is obvious that portion control, at least for me, is more of a mental challenge than anything else. I found I enjoyed being “in control” of my portions so much that it inspired me to find an app for my phone to track what I was eating. I figured if I was eating the correct portions, I might as well go the next step to be in control of my whole day. So far, so good!

Kristen, like so many of us who are trying to be portion aware this month, is a wee bit concerned about the holiday obstacle course in the six weeks ahead.

Here are five ideas that she’ll use to help navigate Thanksgiving. If you’re worried about your holiday intake, try these solutions:

Challenge: Friends and Relatives who want you to eat more of the foods you don’t want, and insist “It’s a special occasion!”, “Just this once?”, or “What’s the big deal?”

Solution: Since Kristen is getting married in May, she has an easy out: she bought a dress that she needs to fit into in a few months. She can respond with a simple, “I’m getting married and I’ve got a goal so no thank you, but enjoy it for me!”

For those of us who aren’t getting married, and for those times where a “No, thank you!” just doesn’t put an end to the badgering, consider why this is important to the person who is pushing the issue. Are they looking for an excuse to overindulge, and are looking for your “permission”? Or are they rapid-metabolism Ritas who just don’t understand what you’re trying to do? Have a little empathy instead of letting the calorie pushers get your goat.

Challenge: How can I be sure to fill up on the right things, and not the stuffing, gravies, and mashed potatoes?

Solution: Kristen plans to fill two plates worth of food. Her first trip to the Thanksgiving buffet will be to fill up on salad and vegetables.  Once she’s done, she’ll have a glass of water, relax, then take another trip for the more caloric stuff.

Challenge: I don’t want to bring out my measuring cups and measure everything; how can I make sure I don’t overdo on portions?

Solution: Instead of a traditional dinner plate, use a salad plate and fill it once. There are so many delicious foods at Thanksgiving, dinner plates are often towering with food. Don’t have a sparse, sad plate, just use a smaller one!

Challenge: My family loves to wear their Thanksgiving pants. They are big and roomy, and built to expand. I don’t feel as full when I wear clothes like this. 

Solution: So don’t wear clothes like that! Wear a tight-fitting dress or pants and you’ll think twice about indulging. Or, wear control-top nylons or Spanx under your clothes. Not only will you look better, you’ll be less likely to overdo.

Challenge: There is nothing healthy at my family’s Thanksgiving. Absolutely nothing. It’s all pies and starches, and every vegetable is swimming in a butter sauce. Should I just eat before I get there? 

Solution: Gosh, no! That’s no fun, and somewhat insulting to the host. Be a good guest and BYOV, that's right, bring your own vegetables. A crudite platter is always a welcomed appetizer, and so is a side of brussels sprouts or roast butternut squash. If you want some vegetables, bring them!

I wish everyone a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. Let's be thankful for our friends, family and the fact that so many of us are faced with the challenge of abundance this weekend.

See More: 5 Vegetable Recipes for Thanksgiving

“Be portion aware!” It’s the mandate shouting at me from this month’s 12 Healthy Habits pages. It’s not really shouting, of course. That’s just my own portion “noise.” Because trust me: I am very portion aware. I’m actually more portion disregard. Because I know a grape from a galette—and will even surprise myself by often picking the former over the latter—just gimme a whole lot of those grapes.

Despite my tendency toward “more is more,” I fully acknowledge it’s not a healthful eating philosophy, and my habits could definitely use some tweaking. I’ve been trying to follow some of the principles outlined here by downsizing my plate sizes and styling my food to fill that smaller plate more appealingly. But I’m still having trouble when faced with big eating events, like the impending holidays, football games, and random crummy Tuesdays.

That’s where the best portion-related advice I’ve come across comes in. And it just so happens to be super timely with the rapid approach of the most overportioned of all holidays…Thanksgiving. The advice was something like this: Don’t save your favorite foods like dressing, mashed potatoes, and pecan pie for “special” occasions or holidays, or you’ll be tempted to go overboard, seeing them as a limited time offer. Who’s to stop you from enjoying a small scoop of stuffing or a sliver of pecan gooeyness in June? Certainly not me. So I think it’s time for me to start applying the same advice to my other favorite foods. Maybe our biannual trip to our favorite pizza place doesn’t have to be a stretchy pants free-for-all. What if I…gulp…started with a salad before moving on to a more sensible amount of slices? Does that mean I could pizza it up more often? Hmm. Maybe there’s something to this whole portion awareness after all. Please pass the grapes.

Read more: Top 10 Secrets of Portion Control

Kristen did such a great job in her first week of portion awareness, I'm not even sure where to start. I think what's most exciting to me is the number of challenges that our newly-engaged road warrior is facing; the number of times she feels like she can't be in control of what she's eating and how she's turning that around. 

Here are Kristen's challenges, solved:

After-work Bonding Over Drinks: Oooh this is one of those places where road warriors get tripped up easily. Sure, you want to bond with your coworkers when you're traveling, and what better way than happy hour (on the company credit card)? The first time her team insisted on this kind of bonding, she went, and opted for chicken skewers and portabella mushrooms. The second time, she told the team she was going to skip it and head out for sushi. And you know what? They all went with her.

The Corporate Vending Machine of Hell: Who stocks the corporate vending machine with sodas, chips and cookies? It seems nice, but it isn't! Instead of falling prey to mid-afternoon hunger cured with some salty, sugary, fatty and ultimately unsatisfying treat, Kristen brought her own. She called the hotel where she was staying, asked for a mini fridge, and shopped in a local Target's grocery area as soon as she landed. She packed herself big bags of her favorite veggies and didn't heed the siren call of that vending machine.

Steakhouse Dinner?: This is not for the weak of will. Kristen took herself to Ruths' Chris (just thinking about this makes my mouth water). Instead of grabbing a rich steak, she opted for the happy hour special, and ordered Seared Ahi Tuna, and Tenderloin Skewers on a Bed of Mixed Greens. For $12 ($6 ea.) she satisfied her surf-and-turf craving with very reasonable portions.

The 'Eat-Anything-He-Wants' Fiance: We love our men, but a skinny hubby really puts love to the test. But Scott, Kristen's incredibly supportive fiance, did a little kitchen reorg before she returned home this week: he put all of his favorite junk foods in a cabinet that she can't see. Therefore, she's not going to "stumble upon" his junk food and be tempted any more; she'll need to really seek it out.

The 'Have-A-Cookie' Colleague: Ugh. Do you have one of these? Kristen does. The 'I-have-a-present-for-you' colleague, and that present is always caloric. Yes, the colleague knows that Kristen is trying to watch it, but a big (and I mean big) cookie is nobody's friend. So what did Kristen do? She said no thank you and took out a picture of her wedding dress. Nothing motivates like that photo.

Chinese Food At Home: When Kristen returns home from her travels every week, they go out for Chinese. Now Kristen isn't ready to face the portion challenges at a Chinese restaurant, so instead, Scott cooked Chinese at home. He made vegetables and coated chicken breasts with bottled teriyaki sauce. Their Chinese craving was tamed.

And the result? Kristen has lost 5 pounds and her engagement ring is fitting on her middle finger. Her shorts are looser, and she's working out 4 to 5 times per week. She's seeing the results of portion awarenesss: both in quality and quantity.

This week, she's experimenting with vegetables that she hasn't tried before. She plans to make:

- Butternut Squash Soup
- Brussels Sprouts
- Crunchy Green Beans
- Healthy Stuffing Recipe

Sounds like someone is getting ready for a delicious Thanksgiving, doesn't it?

Thank you for your motivating comments last week. Please keep them coming!

Allison

Some people just have that extra special something—a sparkle, a light, a ripple of good energy—that instantly draws you in and makes you want to share a pot of coffee and a plate of yummy cookies, lingering until only crumbs and dregs remain. Gretchen Holt Witt is one of those people for me. I’ve worked with her in a professional capacity during my ten years at Cooking Light, but my interest became personal when her son Liam was diagnosed with neuroblastoma (learn more about it via the National Institutes of Health) in 2007. Gretchen and her husband, Larry, soon started a blog to document Liam’s battle, the good, bad, and ugly ups and downs.

We all seem to (unfortunately) know that panicky, sad feeling of wanting to help someone in such desperate need, but it’s easy to feel helpless when you’re time zones away and fighting such a nebulous enemy about which little is known. We write checks or add it to our growing prayer lists. And these things are good and helpful, but Gretchen knew it would take more: a call to action and more attention for this cruel—and unfortunately common—killer. And thus Cookies for Kids’ Cancer was born.

“I wanted to come up with something that was so easy anybody could do it anywhere—something so innocent and warm and friendly and inviting that people couldn’t turn away,” Gretchen says. Her efforts have been successful in raising buckets of funds for research and to find less toxic and more effective treatments. Most of it has been done through bake sales held nationwide--a lot of small efforts adding up to big results. “The awful twist is that we started this when Liam was cancer-free, and then we lost him,” Gretchen says. “So as much as I would like to curl up in a ball and cry, I have to do it for him.”

And it’s amazing what can be done—even without going too far out of your way or your comfort zone. Our staff held a fall bake sale on a busy football weekend and raised $1,200. Those who could bake did so beautifully, and those who could not (ahem…me) worked on logistics. Another impromptu charity drive last week added an easy $800 to the pot. The point is, there is something you can do, no matter how busy or stretched thin you feel at this time of year. If not a bake sale in your community (visit CKFC’s site to see how easy it is), then start with one or more of the methods below. Let’s share the love with Gretchen. And Liam. And the countless good cookies out there.

1. VOTE. This one’s super easy. Let’s help Gretchen win L’Oreal’s Women of Worth contest. In addition to recognizing this worthy woman, it’ll earn Cookies for Kids’ Cancer another $25,000 to help fund new treatments. Just enter your e-mail address here (they promise no spam or solicitations) to cast your vote.

2. GIFT. Stuff your stocking with love: The OXO Be a Good Cookie Spatula is just $7 and benefits CFKC. Check out Gretchen sporting one above. Find them on Amazon or at select Bed Bath & Beyond stores. Bonus points for pairing it with CFKC’s Best Bake Sale Cookbook, which is just $11 at Amazon.com.
 
3. EAT. Order a batch of cookies from CFKC, which are beautifully packaged and shipped fresh to your (or your gift recipient’s) door. In nine flavors (Liam’s Lemon Sugar gets my vote).
 
4. CLICK. Glad is partnering with CFKC to match donations up to $100,000 during November and December. To start, they’re donating $0.10 for every virtual cookie sent through Facebook. Visit facebook.com/glad to find out more.

Kristen, our "Be Portion Aware" coaching client, has a really big reason to change the way she eats: she's getting married May 19, 2012, and she wants to drop two dress sizes by then. Right now she's a size 12, but she's most comfortable (and not too skinny) as a size 8.

So that's Kristen's motivation, and here are her challenges:

1. She's a road warrior, traveling away from home for business Monday through Friday. She's usually based in smaller towns, where her 20-something male travel companions opt for dinner venues like Subway, Jimmy Johns, and inexpensive buffets. "Lean Cuisine does not fill me up," said Kristen. "I can only eat salads for so many days; at the buffets I eat and eat and eat."

2. She's engaged to a man who seems like he can eat anything and not gain a pound. He has an aversion to vegetables (but will cook them for Kristen). "No fruit, no vegetables, but he'll cook huge steaks," said Kristen. "I made him get rid of the deep frier."

3. She moved from Minnesota to Chicago, and her lifestyle has changed. "In Minnesota I was on the trails, excersizing outside all the time," said Kristen. "In Chicago, it's bars and drinking. Plus, with Scott, I go out to eat more."

Today, Kristen is 5'4" and 175 pounds. She's healthiest and happiest at 145, and would like to see those extra 30 pounds go away before the wedding. And here's a terrific thing about Kristen: she knows how to lose weight by changing her lifestyle.

A few years ago, Kristen lost 50 pounds by exercising, eating salads, and giving up "pop." It took her 1-1/2 years, but she did it, healthfully, losing 1 to 2 pounds per week.

But today, Kristen is on the road most of the week, traveling through smaller towns where inspired fresh salads can be hard to find. She likes to eat, and she likes to eat in volume. So what do we do to help Kristen get to a healthier weight, and Be Portion Aware?

1. Eat As Much ____ As You Like: Since Kristen likes to graze, I needed to give her one portion without control and so I gave her: veggies. Kristen can have all the leafy greens, green peppers, broccoli, and cauliflower she would like. She has committed to bringing a knife, veggie peeler, and cutting board on the road, and will ask her hotel to provide a mini fridge. That way Kristen doesn't have to rely on fast food establishments for her vegetables; she can grocery shop and take care of herself in her home-away from home. She loves eating vegetables and a low-fat salad dressing as low-cal, high-volume office snack; now she can.

2. Have Smarter Snacks: Kristen told me that she makes "snack bags" to bring to work every week, so she is already in the habit of portion control by putting her nuts in little bags! Unfortunately, she's filling those bags with 1/2 cup of nuts, which is about 400 calories and far more than she needs for a snack. So how do we get Kristen the volume she craves with fewer calories? She can use a scant 1/4 cup of the nuts, and fill the rest of the bag with popcorn or puffed cereal (she loves Chex Mix). Alternatively, check out these healthy snack ideas on CookingLight.com.

3. Be Portion Aware with Protein: I've asked Kristen to fill half her plate with vegetables at every meal, and Kristen caught a loophole: if she can have endless amounts of vegetables, what's an appropriate portion of protein? Here's some suprising news: 3 ounces of animal protein provide 21 grams of protein, and according to the CDC, Kristen only needs 46 grams of protein per day. So 3 ounces of protein at every meal is more than enough. Check out the CDC to find out your daily protein needs.

As we were wrapping up Kristen's coaching session, a colleague actually came by her office and offered her a fried sandwich with fries (for free), which she reluctantly passed up. As they say, there's no such thing as a free meal, and in this case, Kristen was being burdened with fries and more fries.

Who is on Kristen's side in the Portion Awareness battle?! We are! So feel free to add your two cents, and inspiring thoughts for Kristen, as she eases up on portions, and eases into that size 8 wedding dress.

By: Blake Kohn

This challenge was complete karma for me. When I found out that I was selected to participate, I was in Mexico, on spring break with my family, and I’m pretty positive that I was licking the rim of salt on my margarita when the email came. To say I like salt is a complete understatement. I’m the girl that licks the bottom of the bag of pretzels.

It’s all rather ironic since I do pay attention to the food I eat and cook. I make nearly every meal at home, use almost all fresh foods, and I can size up the calorie and fat totals of just about any dish. But sodium is my Achilles heel. Until recently I didn’t even know what whether 500mg of sodium was a lot for a soup, or not. (Hint: it’s pretty high!) I guess that’s why Cooking Light dubbed me the Sodium-Clueless mom. If it weren’t so accurate, I might have been offended!

This month has been all about trying new recipes, reading the labels on the food at the grocery store, and ordering my margarita without salt. I also read cover to cover the October Cooking Light issue (only occasionally turning to page 58 to admire my photo) and learned so much about the salt content of food I always assumed was better for me, but really wasn’t. I couldn’t believe that turkey pepperoni wasn’t the better choice over regular pepperoni for our family pizza and movie nights.

The changes that worked for me and for my family were amazingly simple. I write an appetizer recipe blog and this month, I halved every salt quantity on every recipe. And you know what? I don’t think any of the taste was compromised by doing so. I also replaced all salt in our house with kosher salt, and I started seasoning our veggies each night with lemons and limes. Fresh squeezed lemons on green beans with toasted almonds…delish!

The biggest change we made was switching out store-bought taco seasoning with a homemade one that had no salt at all. I have to admit, that I was extremely skeptical with this particular change, and worried that I was messing with a Kohn family favorite. But, by golly, they liked it.

I’ve been really happy to participate in this challenge and have found the changes fairly easy to make. Hopefully, we will now have an even more balanced diet, and I’ll keep looking for ways to improve. (Next stop: replace the soups I eat for lunch with a low-sodium variety and make homemade meatballs for the kids lunch instead of the premade frozen kind.) I can’t say that my margaritas are always going to be without salt, but everything else is here to stay. 

By: Mary Ihla

Two years ago, my doctor warned me: "You won't live to see your grandchildren grow up if you don't develop a healthier lifestyle." I listened. 

I've now lost more than half the weight I had gained over the previous 25 years, lowered my cholesterol, and no longer need insulin injections or the use of a CPAP machine at night. However, one problem still persisted -- hypertension. Despite eating healthier and moving more, I couldn't manage to lower my blood pressure to an acceptable level.

"Cut the salt," my doctor ordered, and set my daily allowance at 1,500mg. I quickly discovered this was going to be a challenge. 

I'd been faithfully tracking my daily intake of calories, carbohydrates, cholesterol, and fat, but hadn't paid much attention to sodium. What a shock to discover I was consistently consuming nearly twice my doctor's recommendation!

So where was all that sodium coming from? As I analyzed my habits, I realized I was automatically grabbing the salt shaker, both during cooking and before I had even tasted the food. And, this was sodium I wasn't even tracking! So, the first thing I did was switch from a shaker to a grinder. This simple gesture not only made me mindful of when I salt the food I cook and eat, but also reduces the amount of salt I use. 

But, I still wasn't even close to my daily limit of sodium. Next, I began looking closely at nutrition labels and was surprised to learn "low-fat" often means "high-sodium." How was I going to continue losing weight while keeping my sodium levels low? 

When I started the Healthy Habits: Eat Less Salt program, I was already aware of the high amount of sodium in my diet and thought I knew where it was coming from. However, the article "Hidden Sodium in Healthy Foods" was an eye-opener. I was dismayed to discover some of my favorite foods in my diet plan contained much more salt than I imagined. 

Another stumbling block was my craving for salty snacks, a habit that had been with me since childhood. In my quest to lose weight, I substituted low-fat popcorn for the sunflower seeds and pistachios I usually enjoyed and started snacking on dill pickles when the munchies overtook me. Of course, these all contributed to my high-sodium intake.

At that point, reducing the salt in my diet while still losing weight seemed a daunting task. But, over the last month, I've adapted the Healthy Habits tips and tricks to fit my lifestyle. I've gradually trained my tastebuds, and my cravings for salty foods have diminished considerably. These days I rarely get the urge to grab the salt shaker, either when I'm cooking or eating. 

I'm happy to report that since I started the Healthy Habits program, I've reached my goal to eat less salt, and for the last few weeks have even managed to stay below my 1,500mg daily limit. Plus, I've lost another 14 pounds! 

Although nearly everything I've learned in this program has been beneficial, there are four "healthy habits" that have become a part of my daily life. 

1. Use only large-crystal salt. I can buy boxes of kosher salt for use in recipes where I measure it out and sea salt in grinders to use while I'm cooking. Both will allow me to add only the absolute minimum while still imparting sufficient flavor. 

2. Grow my own herbs. I can plant a variety of herbs in clay pots on my patio in the summer and in an indoor herb garden the rest of the year. It's much cheaper than buying fresh herbs from the grocery store, and I don't have to worry about them going bad in the refrigerator.

3. Make it myself. I can bake bread in my bread maker, can tomatoes, and freeze vegetables from my garden and the farmers' market, make oatmeal and soups in my crockpot, create my own biscuit mix, and put together rubs, marinades, and dressings, all with minimal sodium content. The bonus: They all taste much better than the store-bought products.

4. Shop for low-sodium products. I can purchase non-perishables in quantity when they're on special and ask my grocer to stock specific items with low sodium or no salt added. If there's not a lower-salt option, I can find an alternative product or eliminate it completely from my diet. 

I'm confident the changes I've made, with the help of Cooking Light's Healthy Habits, will result in a lower blood pressure reading at my next appointment. Then, I can listen to my doctor say, "Great job!"

This is the final week of the Reduce Your Salt Healthy Habit challenge, and I'd to summarize how Susan transformed her salt habit this month. I feel like this month, more than any other, we were playing a mental game.

So to put us in the right state of mind, before we begin this blog post, let's say a collective, yoga-style Oooohhhhhmmmm.

"Ooooooohhhhhhhhhhmmmmmm." Thank you. Now let's begin.

Susan fought salt all her life. Her father fought salt (and still does), and Susan inherited the salt ageda. The whole I-just-need-one-more-shake-I-really-shouldn't-but-there-I-go-again-with-my-bad-habit thing. She wouldn't use salt in her cooking, then the food would taste bland. So she'd add it at the table, with constant negative-self talk.

Susan thought I'd come in like Attila the Hun and forbid her from having salt; but that's not my mojo. First of all, every body needs salt, and second: a little bit of salt can bring a whole lot of magic to food. I'd never do without.

Linguine with Pesto Sauce

So instead of taking salt away, we added: kosher salt (a less salty kind of salt), a special pink salt cellar for her daughter, and Susan started using salt in recipes again. One she realized the salt wasn't going anywhere, we stopped focusing on it, and shifted our focus to flavor.

That's right; we didn't take away any salt. But we added a whole lot of flavor. Susan began using fresh herbs, leeks, ginger, and other flavorful fresh ingredients. She experimented with Asian cooking (which her family loves, but always feels guilty about enjoying due to the salt content). She made sauces with fresh herbs and prepared at least three new dishes every week. She was motivated.

Here, in Susan's own words, is  how she did it:

1. "The more you try not to do something, the more obsessed you get with it. Once I stopped being so focused on the salt, it freed me up to put attention in other areas."

2. "Kosher salt is a permanent change. You can see it and taste it; in the long run, we’re using less salt because of it. I’m not using salt shakers any more. When salt is something I have to spoon out; it makes a different connection in my brain."