5 Sneaky Ways to Trick Yourself into Eating Less
by Lexi Petronis, Glamour
If you're still feeling a little overstuffed with turkey and/or all the trimmings, you just might love these little tricks from Prevention to help with the post-holiday de-bloat. (Oof.) I know I do.
1: Drink from a straight glass, not a curved one
One study found that people who drink from a glass that's rounded out in the middle instead of a straight up-and-down glass end up drinking 60 percent more juice, soda, or alcohol. (That equals about 67 extra OJ calories at breakfast and 40 extra wine calories at dinnertime.) Researchers think this is because the curve of the glass makes it harder to tell when you've reached the halfway point, so it's easier to knock back another beverage more quickly. I'm not sure how true oenophiles might feel about sipping fine wine from a glass not made for vino, but hey!
2. Look forward to lunch
This one totally surprised me. Experts say that when you're eagerly anticipating a meal, your body may actually produce lower levels of ghrelin (an appetite hormone)--and that could mean consuming fewer calories overall.
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3. Lower the lights Soft lighting can do more than just make a meal romantic--it may actually cause you to eat less. A study from Cornell University found that people who ate a meal in dim lighting ended up consuming 175 fewer calories than those who dined in bright spaces (fluorescent-lit food court, anyone?). The participants reported they also found their meals to be more enjoyable than those sitting in the harshly-lit places.
4. Go look at healthy food if you don't want to eat sugary food Scans have shown that salivating over photos of high-calorie, high-fat, or sugar-filled foods actually causes the hunger and reward sections of your brain to wake up and take notice--which could very well lead to major cravings (and subsequent snackings). So if you don't want to eat the bad stuff, go look at the good stuff--experts say that could be all it takes.
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5. Drink bubbly water
There's a bit of science behind this one--research shows that you're more likely to crave veggies instead of fries if you drink water with your meal instead of soda--but the bubbly part also very much comes from a this-is-what-I've-noticed-lately standpoint. I'm drinking somuch sodium-free seltzer water these days, and I've found I'm not nearly as snacky. Those bubbles fill you up!
What are your eat-less tips?
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