Food has always been labelled the No.1 culprit responsible for weight gain. It’s time we outsmart food- with great tips that would help us eat smart!
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Use smaller plates
A full plate sends the signal that you’re eating a full meal and a partially full plate looks like a skimpy meal, regardless of the actual quantity of food. The same amount of food looks like more on a smaller plate. Using smaller plates and filling them up is a proven way to eat less without noticing.
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Serve yourself 20% less
You can eat 80% of the food you’d normally eat and probably not notice, so long as no one points it out to you. You could also eat 20% more without noticing. Serving yourself a little less using smaller plates as recommended above, should be just as satisfying.
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Use taller glasses
Just like less food looks like more food on a smaller plate, height makes things look larger than width, even when the volumes are the same.
You can cut down on your liquid calories by choosing taller glasses rather than shorter, fatter ones.
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Eat protein for breakfast
People love to hype breakfast eating as a miracle weight loss cure, but only breakfasts high in protein have been proven to suppress appetite and reduce subsequent eating throughout the day.
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Eat three meals a day
You might think eating many small meals is better than eating three bigger ones throughout the day, but studies tell us otherwise. Though skipping meals can make controlling your appetite more difficult, eating more than three meals a day has not been shown to have any benefit, and may even be worse for appetite control.
Eat when you’re supposed to and you shouldn’t need any extra food.
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Keep snacks out of sight or out of the building
Studies have shown that people eat a lot more when food is visible than when it is put away where it can’t be seen, even if they know it is there. To avoid extra snacking keep tempting foods out of sight, or better yet, out of the house. On the flip side, keep healthy foods prominently displayed and easy to reach.
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Chew thoroughly
If you chew the minimum number of times before swallowing or shovelling in another fork full, chances are you’re eating substantially more at every meal than those who thoroughly chew their food.
Slow down, chew each bite (counting your chews can help develop the habit) and watch as you fill up faster on fewer calories.
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Don’t eat from the package
Your stomach can’t count. When you can’t see how much you’re eating you’re likely to lose track and consume double or even triple the amount you’d eat if you took the time to serve yourself a proper portion. Use a plate, or a bowl, or even a napkin; just make sure you get a good visual of everything you’re going to eat before taking your first bite.
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Don’t eat in front of the TV
For most people distracted eating means overeating. Take time out to sit down and have a proper meal before enjoying your shows or movies. Your lack of concentration on the meal could make you consume more, as you might likely not fill full on time.
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Don’t pay attention to health claims
Truly healthy food—vegetables, fruits and other unprocessed foods—rarely have labels at all. Instead foods with health claims tend to be processed junk repackaged as better alternatives, which they are not.