5 Ways to Lose Weight Without Even Noticing
By Anna Davies, REDBOOK
In a perfect world, we'd eat only when we're hungry and stop at the first signs of feeling full. In reality? We shovel in lasagna while scrolling through status updates-then go back for seconds before we even know what we're doing. "Our surroundings affect how much we eat much more than you might think," says Brian Wansink, Ph.D., the director of the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. To eat smarter and slim down, you might not have to change your actual diet at all, he says: "The trick is to change your environment and habits so you'll automatically eat less." Sound too easy to work? It's not. Make these simple tweaks and you could see 10 pounds melt away by the new year.
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1. Don't eat during 30 Rock. In one study, participants who ate in front of a TV inhaled 40 percent more potato chips than those seated at a table. Why? We're distracted by what we're watching, and the munching becomes automatic. Plus, "we have a tendency to feel like we need to eat until a show is over," Wansink says.
2. Use smaller plates. The size of your dish affects how much you eat. "Even professionals will pack their plates if the space is available," Wansink says. In a study he did of fellow nutrition experts, those given bigger bowls helped themselves to 31 percent more ice cream than those given smaller bowls.
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3. Store snacks out of reach. "In my research, a candy dish placed at an arm's length led people to eat an average of five more candies a day than they would have if the dish was six feet away," Wansink says. Putting cookies on high shelves and storing ice cream in the back of the freezer-while keeping good-for-you foods to the front-can help you make healthier, lower-calorie choices.
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4. Keep serving dishes off the table. People eat about 20 percent less when food is served from a counter instead of family-style on the dinner table, according to other recent research by Wansink. Having to stand up to get seconds gives you the chance to pause-and determine whether you really want more.
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5. Slice up meats and cheeses. Instead of serving everything in chunks or filets, shred cheeses and slice meats before serving. People tend to think food is more generous when it's in smaller pieces, says Wansink, and therefore could feel satisfied even when eating less. Sneaky!
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Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.
