Instant oatmeal trumps All Bran and Muesli for fullness factor.

Wedge-shaped foods like cake slices and pizza make it difficult to estimate the right portions. To avoid over-eating, cut a modest slice and step away from the pie. Having to come back for seconds will help make you more aware of your intake.

How to avoid over eating: One study found that participants ate more food while drinking wine than while drinking beer.

1.     Practicing stress-busters such as yoga or meditation prepares you for handling harried situations and finding your inner calm. If you interpret every stressor in your life as something you deserved or can’t handle, then your body will constantly be in flight-or-fight mode. Take the time to learn or master a stress-relaxing activity or sport.

The typical restaurant pasta meal is at least four times the recommended amount. Dole out a single serving — about the size of a tennis ball — and spare yourself hundreds of extra calories. Ditto for rice and  potatoes.

Dieting doesn’t mean saying no to pie. Shaving off the bottom crust decreases the damage by 100 calories and you won’t even know it’s missing. (Hint: This works with layer cake too.)

Your grandmother was right — fish is indeed brain food! Over 60 percent of your brain by weight is composed of fat, and most of it is the same fat found in fish. The healthy omega-3 fats in fish (and fish oil supplements) are incorporated into cell membranes, making it easier for information from neurotransmitters to get in and out of the cell. Low levels of omega-3 fats have been linked to memory problems as well as depression, ADHD and various other neurological disorders. Best sources: Wild salmon, sardines and cod — or take fish oil supplements on a daily basis (500mg-3,000mg). (AOL.com)

Turmeric’s reputation as a “super-spice” is due largely to its anti-cancer activity and powerful anti-inflammatory properties — but it also helps to protect your brain. This spice first attracted the interest of scientists investigating Alzheimer’s disease because rates of the disease are so low in India, where curry is a staple. A compound in turmeric called curcumin helps to prevent mental decline in laboratory animals. (AOL.com)

Spinach is loaded with an array of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds that research has shown to slow brain aging and preserve memory. It’s one of the few food sources of the powerful, brain-protecting antioxidant alpha lipoic acid. (AOL.com)

Blueberries are the ultimate memory food. Research at the USDA showed that daily consumption of blueberries dramatically slows the impairment of memory that usually accompanies old age. Compounds in blueberries called polyphenols actually help “turn on” the signals that let neurons (brain cells) communicate with each other more effectively. (AOL.com)