If you’ve looked at my Project 40 worksheets this week, you’ve noticed that there are measurements for everything I’ve eaten. Since I am counting calories, I have to measure everything. And, frankly, I’d forgotten just how tedious that is.

I mean, really. I break out the measuring cups and spoons for every little thing. That extra step isn’t all that hard; but, it’s just annoying, you know? Annoying as it is, I truly believe that it was integral to my success during the Great Reduction.

Serving sizes are crucial, particularly when you’re dealing with calorie dense items or packaged items like dry cereal or cheese. Do you know what 3/4 cup of raisin bran really looks like? I sure don’t – not without my measuring cups! Let’s say that I pour out what I think is 3/4 cup, add what I think is 1/2 cup of almond milk and scarf it up. But, let’s say that what I actually poured out was a whole cup of cereal and 3/4 cup of almond milk. In that instance, I ate 57 calories more than I thought I did. And, let’s be real, without measuring, I probably missed the mark by more than just 1/4 cup. Whether I document them or not, those calories count…..and they add up.

Pennies make dollars. Inches make miles. And ounces make pounds – whether I’m gaining or losing.