Thinking about dieting? An interesting article I read was how to trick your mind when eating. Illusions can help how much you eat. An average size at home dinner plate is 9"- 10";where as in the early 1900's they were as small as 7". As years have passed, the plate sizes have too. Restaurant dishes are usually 10"-11". Although you do not need to overload the plate with food, most people want to see a plate filled with food, not skimpy portions. To trick your mind and eyes, get a smaller plate and fill it with food. You are eating less food than you would by filling a larger plate. A lot of people take more amounts of food that aren't intended because they want to feel satisfied and full by making sure there is enough food on their plate. Although people may be full, if there is still food on their plates, they will continue eating the food until it's all gone. By using a smaller plate, you will be eating less and finishing your plate but not feeling overstuffed.
Color is another type of mind trickery you can use to eat less. Studies have shown that red is a sign of sweetness, like ripe fruit. Try putting red food coloring in certain recipies instead of a lot of sugar to make your eyes appeal to the color and trick your mind into thinking it is sweet.
Seeing pictures of food will make you hungry, especially if they are delicious desserts. There are findings of a hormone called ghrelin, that makes you feel hungrier and eat more when seeing pictures of food. A tip when grocery shopping, is to eat before going so you won't be hungry. When you are hungry and grocery shopping, everything sounds good and you will then buy foods you are trying to stay away from and overspend on your budget.
Keep healthy food in your kitchen at eye level. When you go into your fridge, what are the first things you see? Is it the chococlate cake or a bowl of cut strawberries? Your eyes see what is at eye level first. Put the healthy stuff in front of the sugary fattenting foods.
Although this is not an optical illusion with eating, but reminding yourself about your "routine" and eating habits you would like to start can help. Tell yourself before every meal what you want to be aware of, whatever it might be.
To read this article: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/01/28/145865238/deception-diet-how-optical-illusions-can-trick-your-appetite?ft=1&f=1007
Interesting... I've actually done a few of these things and believe in them. When I started loosing weight before Toby, I was doing the smaller portion control with smaller plates and I TOTALLY believe in the not shopping when you're hungry thing. Everytime I go when I am I come back with all sorts of junk food! Thanks for sharing! I'm excited to follow along! Love you!!
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