Did you put on a few unwanted pounds over the holidays? With Valentine’s Day approaching, you might want to look your best for that rendezvous with your sweetheart. Maybe you just want to look and feel great for yourself. We asked nutritionist Sarah Ladden for a few simple tips to help us slim down:

Size Does Matter!
Shrink your plate to shrink your waist. Smaller portions actually appear larger and more satisfying when served on smaller plates. Eating your entree on a salad or dessert plate and drinking from tall, thin glasses as opposed to short, stout ones can help you reduce portion size and drop pounds without feeling deprived.

Eyes on the Prize
You’re more likely to snack on what you can see. So bring the fruit out of the fridge and keep in easy access areas so you’ll be more likely to grab some grapes when a snack attack hits. Keep more indulgent foods in cupboards and you’ll be less likely to mindlessly munch on waistline busters.

Get a Boost from Breakfast!
People who eat breakfast are more successful in maintaining weight loss over the long term. For a fast and filling breakfast, try oatmeal topped with chopped nuts. Save extra calories by choosing unsweetened oatmeal and sweeten to taste with a zero-calorie sweetener.

Carla Snuggs is a freelance writer for Endless Beauty.