Weight Loss Tip #53 Downsize Dinnerware
According to a study done at Cornell University, “Brian Wansink from Cornell University and Koert van Ittersum from the Georgia Institute of Technology, it was discovered that a shift from 12–inch plates to 10–inch plates resulted in a 22% decrease in calories.” (1) If you add those numbers up per week, you will be significantly decreasing your caloric intake, which will naturally result in weight loss overtime!
Tricking Your Brain
I have a tendency to overthink things when it comes to trying not to let my brain get tricked, but sometimes illusions are too powerful to think through. One in particular called the Delboeuf Illusion, which essentially tricks the brain into thinking it is consuming more on a dinner plate that is smaller, versus the same portion size on a larger plate. This illusion proves that downsizing your dinnerware does indeed cause you to eat less without really thinking about it. Thank you, Brain!
Tips For Eating Out
Ever noticed how big the plates are at restaurants? They are so massive, and I usually ask for a side plate to actually eat my meal from. Most of the time in many of these situations, you can split meals with the person you are eating with (granted you like the same things) or just take half of your meal to go. Using that small side plate will not only make you feel like you are eating more, but it won’t have you diving onto your neighbor’s plate or into your to-go box.
No matter what setting you are in, be aware of the plate sizes and do not let the Delboeuf Illusion get the best of your brain and your stomach!
