Food Tricks For Your Mind

WATER…..
Water should be at the top of everyone’s list for tricking your body into feeling it is full. Drink an 8 oz glass of water before you eat to fill up your stomach.  Drink at least 64 oz daily. And avoid soda as it is empty calories.

SIZE MATTERS ! !
Down size your dinnerware, but keep your utensils and glasses tall.

LET FOOD COLOR POP
The bigger difference between food color and plate color the less likely you’ll  be over-serve yourself.  Example: Serve tomato soup in a white bowl: you’re more likely to dish too much if it’s in a red bowl.

MONO PLACE SETTINGS
Participates in a research study found they ate less food when the tablecloth and dishware were the same color as the tablecloth.

100 CALORIES ?
The bite-size snacks really work. A study found that participants ate 25% fewer calories when eating from a 100 calorie pack than from larger bags of snacks.

TURN OFF THE TV
The more distracted we are, the more we eat.  Participants who ate while watching TV felt less full after eating than those who ate without any distractions.

OUT OF SITE, OUT OF MIND
The further away from you and the less visible food is, the less likely you are to eat it.  Keep sweets in hard-to-reach cabinets and office snacks in drawers.

CUE THE AMBIANCE
Dim the lights and turn on some music.  A Cornell University study found that doing this cause diners to eat 18% less..  They also rated the food as more enjoyable.

KEEP YOUR MOUTH BUSY
You may be keeping track of your dinner calories, but did you remember to include the bites you took while cooking? Try chewing gum or sucking on a cough drop as you’re preparing your meal.

USE YOUR ILLUSION
Don’t underestimate the power of imagination.  A 2010 study showed we actually eat less of a certain food if we imagine eating it before we eat it.

PIECE OF MIND
A 2010 study showed that cutting food into smaller pieces can trick the brain into thinking we’re eating more than we actually are, so we eat less.  Cut sandwiches into four pieces, and break candy bars into bite-size pieces.