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Summer is quickly approaching and many of us are looking for ways to effectively, but as painlessly as possible, lose a few kilos we gained during the winter.
If you also belong to those who have problems with diets and would like to lose weight without having to restrict yourself, then we have something exactly like that for you.
In this article we will reveal two scientifically backed principles that will ensure you eat less, even without much self-control.
Also don’t forget one bonus, which is at the end of the article.
Principle No.1 – Swap your plates
There is a term gastro-physics (gastronomic physics). It is a scientific discipline that studies how the environment influences our eating habits.
According to this theory everything, from the weight of the cutlery to the shape, size and color of the plates, determines how much food we consume.
The first thing you need to do is throw away all your overly large plates and get smaller ones. A recent study proved that the same amount of food looks different to our brain on a small and a large plate.
If you put a small portion on a large plate, your brain will tell you that you don’t have enough and you’ll probably add more until the plate looks full. This, of course, leads to overeating.
See the following example:
However, if you place the same portion on a smaller plate, the food will look bigger, so you will ultimately eat less, just enough to feel satisfied.
In other words, if you replace a 30 cm plate with a 25 cm one, you will reduce your calorie intake by 22%! This difference in perceived size is called the Delboeuf illusion.
Principle No.2 – Choose a plate of a suitable color
The size of the plate is not the only thing that matters. The same study, as in the previous case, found that the color of the plates plays an equally important role.
To lose weight, you must choose a plate color that contrasts with the color of the food.
For example, if you have white spaghetti with a light Alfredo sauce, you should serve it on a red plate. If the spaghetti have a red tomato sauce, then choose a white plate.
Research has shown that if you were to put white sauce on a white plate, you would probably serve yourself more than you should and are more likely to overeat. This is because similar colors blend together and the portion of food then doesn’t look as large.
However, if you put white sauce on a red plate, the contrast increases and you won’t serve yourself as much of it.
Research found that if the colors of the plate and the food do not match, you tend to serve up to approximately 30% less food. In other words, the greater the difference between the color of the food and the color of the plate, the better.
If you cannot replace your plates, it also helps to put a tablecloth of a contrasting color on the table.
If you want, you can go even further and, for example, use blue plates. The color blue suppresses the appetite and no natural food is blue in color, so there will always be contrast.
Bonus tip
With this bonus trick you kill two birds with one stone. The trick is to drink at least one full glass of plain water before each meal.
Water fills your stomach and then you eat less. This will help you not only limit calorie intake but also ensure better hydration, which is good for overall health.
It’s a useful trick especially for those who forget their drinking regimen or have trouble sticking to it.
Drinking 0.5 liters of water will also help you burn up to 30% more calories during the first hour after the meal. Doesn’t that sound tempting?
Conclusion
We hope these tips will help you in your effort to lose weight.
If you have your own suggestions that don’t take any effort or money, then be sure to share them with us in the comments under the article.
