How to eat less and not be hungry. 10 tricks to help trick your brain

Snacking on junk food on the run and huge portions – the main enemy in the fight against excess weight. How to avoid overeating and not to suffer from hunger? We will have to approach nutrition more consciously, then it will turn out that the body can be easily accustomed to consume less food without discomfort. Here are 10 simple tricks to trick your brain and reduce your calorie intake.

Don’t get distracted

Are you used to eating lunch at work “on the run” without interrupting the work process, and have dinner in front of the TV or reading a book? Distracted by other stimuli, you are more likely to eat more than necessary, and “forget” to think about the fact that these sweets are already superfluous. It’s time to break this habit – eating is best done in silence.

Small plates and utensils

The brain is pretty easy to trick if you use small plates and utensils. A small plate full of food is perceived as enough to fill you up, unlike a large plate that is only half full. In addition, it is tempting to fill a large plate while you can’t physically fit as much food on a small plate. Researchers at Cornell and Groningen University found that people usually fill their dishes by 70% regardless of their size.

Similarly with cutlery – the brain erases the differences between 10 small and large spoons of ice cream, for example, it cares about quantity, not volume. Smaller utensils can help prevent overeating.
Another nice fact is that most people can safely eat 20% more or less than a normal portion and not even notice it. Small plates and utensils can help you take advantage of this peculiarity.

Colored dishes

It has long been known that certain colors can awaken or, conversely, suppress appetite. Armed with this knowledge, you can choose dishes. For example, red color (as well as yellow, orange, pink) cause a strong feeling of hunger. On plates of neutral shades – white or gray, food also looks appetizing, and you want to eat more.

To reduce appetite, it is better to use dishes of blue, blue, purple colors. You can go further – use a blue tablecloth or in general add such shades in the kitchen or another room where you eat more often.

Eat slowly

Your brain is delayed in getting the signal that your stomach is full and you are full, so try to stretch your pleasure and eat slowly. Do not pounce on food and absorb it with cosmic speed, so more chances to overeat – in such cases, the brain simply does not have the opportunity to signal satiety in time. It is better to take food in small pieces and chew them thoroughly before you start eating the next one.

Eating slower will help and breaks – put aside fork or spoon to drink water or just stretch. Also, listen to your body and don’t sit down to a meal if you’re not hungry.

Chew gum and drink water

Both help to reduce your appetite and will help you last without unhealthy snacking until your next meal. Next time you’re craving something tasty between lunch and dinner, try chewing gum or drinking a glass of water.

Sleep well and get up early

It pays to be a lark! Researchers at Northwestern University found that people who get up no later than 8 a.m. consume almost 200 fewer calories at lunch and almost 400 fewer after 8 p.m. If you want to lose weight, that’s great motivation to go to bed and get up early.

A full eight hours of sleep will also help in the fight against excess weight – American scientists spent 15 years observing 68,000 subjects and found that people who sleep for 7-8 hours are less prone to obesity than those who are sleep deprived.

Add pepper

Hot peppers have been proven to speed up metabolism by 25% within four hours – it’s all about capsaicin, which increases blood circulation and makes you burn fat more actively. It also suppresses hunger and cravings for sweets and fats.

Ginger has a similar effect – a Columbia University study found that ginger drinks reduced hunger.

Put the goodies away

It’s easy to reach for a chocolate bar or chips when they’re in plain sight. And it doesn’t matter if you’re actually hungry or if it’s just the food that’s bothering your eyes and begging to be eaten. But studies show that the farther away the coveted goodie is, the less reason your brain has to think that you can eat something right now.

Fruit tea instead of dessert

Do you like to indulge in dessert after a hearty dinner? Try replacing it with tea with additives – rooibos, hibiscus, berry or fruit tea. Such a drink has a slight sweetness and no extra calories.

Brush your teeth right after dinner

Brushing your teeth will help you get rid of the temptation to eat something else after dinner. When you want to eat a cookie before going to bed, you’ll think twice about whether it’s worth it, because then you’ll have to get up and brush your teeth again.