Can you trick yourself into eating less?
By vivasuzi
@vivasuzi (4127)
United States
January 1, 2007 12:48am CST
I've heard on many diet websites and advice pieces that you can trick yourself into eating less by using smaller plates and bowls. Apparantly your brain feels like it's eating a lot because the smaller plate is over-flowing.
So, do you think this really works for you? I do believe it works for me. Today I wanted ice cream and grabbed a small 1/2 cup bowl instead of a big bowl. I noticed that I poured less than usual, only about 3 tiny scoops instead of 5 medium scoops (yep I love ice cream!) Now I'm eating it and it feels like plenty. I don't want anymore! So I think that even though I KNOW I'm using a smaller bowl, something in my brain clicks and says I'm full because it looks like so much ice cream.
Let me know your thoughts on this dieting technique! And I would love to hear any other technique's you use to stop yourself from overeating.
7 people like this
57 responses
@msrkrishnan (99)
• India
1 Jan 07
Thatz one of the ways... but ur decession to use small plates or bowls wil always b there at back of ur mind.
The best way i follw is to drink a glass of water before I've my meals... that fills up ur stomach a bit... so, u eat little bit less and feel as if u had taken a lot of food...
3 people like this
@Jshean20 (14348)
• Canada
1 Jan 07
This is an interesting technique..one that I have not tried yet but will do. A technique that I've used for eating less is simply eating slower! I used to eat really fast all the time and for some reason kept getting up for seconds. I'm finding that by eating slower I get fuller faster for some reason, have you tried this? This technique is not always easy for me though when there is so much awesome food infront of me...this past Christmas is an example of that!! It's so tempting with the creamy mashed potatos and turkey right infront of you...YUM.
3 people like this
@vivasuzi (4127)
• United States
1 Jan 07
Yes I do try to eat slower, just wish the people around me would slow down to! Some people eat so fast like it's a race, and if I eat slow I feel like I'm slowing them down so I pig out to. That is a proven technique though b/c they say it takes 20 minutes for your food to get your stomach, and for your brain to register "I'm stuffed"... so if you eat slow you will get that feeling before you overeat :) Good reminder for me and all others who may be reading! Thanks!
My problem at holidays is that I want to try everything, and I also think that if I don't try it now there will be no left overs or everyone else will eat it first - so I do tend to pig out. I make up for it the following week though, by dieting reallly good. So hopefully I stick to some sort of diet for the next 4 months before my wedding in May :)
2 people like this
@simran1430 (1790)
• India
1 Jan 07
my advice is that if you tryto trick your eating habits , then you will ed up with more eating disorders than ever , there is nothing like not eating and getting better ,
the body needs food ,
can a ca do without petrol
same way the body cant do without essential food and nutrients ,
one thing you can do is to avoid unhealthy and unwaned junk food , or lower its intake
2 people like this
@Sir_bobby88 (8231)
• Singapore
1 Jan 07
i think it is hard to trick yourself yea ... after all you know that is a trick already ....
@meeoww (1174)
• United States
1 Jan 07
No way on earth would this work for me! I'm a salt fiend, so things like potato chips are a way of life. I've learned not to eat the whole bag, however, and what I do now is I DO use a bowl, but just so that I know that that's all that I can have. No more. Enough. Your technique is something like I used to use for time. I always run late, so I used to set my clocks ahead. Didn't work, because when I looked at the clock I'd say, "oh, my clock is forward so I still have another 10 minutes."
@vivasuzi (4127)
• United States
1 Jan 07
Well the clock thing never worked for me either, but the food thing seems to work!
I think it's because if I use a smaller plate, I may still be a little hungry but I'll know that if I want more I have to get up and pour another plate! So I talk myself out of it, and soon I don't even feel hungry anymore.
1 person likes this
@icgcarlos (57)
• Philippines
1 Jan 07
Thats a good dieting technique but it sometimes doesnt work, if your an observant overweight person like me. The only dieting technique i use right now is eating 2 meals a day except the standard 3 meals a day. and i dont take snacks.
1 person likes this
@AskAlly (3625)
• Canada
2 Jan 07
I think the smaller plate is a good idea. But from my experience, nothing works better than being active. I actively participate in everything I do with my kids, swimming, soccer, ballet, karate. People don't move around enough. I guess with 5 kids I really think about food alot in the sense that what I feed them has to be nutritous. Not one of my children or their father is overweight either.
I am not one of those people with a high metabolism. I gained an average of 40-50 lbs when I was pregnant, but each time I managed to get the weight off with activity.
@Jshean20 (14348)
• Canada
1 Jan 07
Hi Suzi
Cute picture of the kitties...I love animals so it made me smile. I noticed that you're new to mylot so I just thought I'd welcome you. Are you aware that there are other ways of earning money online? Well I've been paid for doing such things as reading emails, playing games, completing surveys, etc. If you're interested in any of this, just message me back for the links.
-Jennie
1 person likes this
@mhv236690 (341)
• India
1 Jan 07
yeah i suppos i cud do that..but it wud take a lot of determination on 1's part!!!
@Devinarun (387)
• United States
2 Jan 07
u can really fool yourself in to eating less and you can do that by drinking one glass of water before your meal.when this is done it is but natural for your stomach to get full n u will not eat your usual capacity.
@starmoishe (58)
• United States
1 Jan 07
Wasn't there someone featured on tv some weeks back talking about those tricks? He said that if you are given 3 small bags of chips vs. one big bag weighing the same amount, that you are more likely to eat less. Most subjects in this study ate just 2 small bags.
1 person likes this
@vivasuzi (4127)
• United States
1 Jan 07
Yeah that makes sense! I think most people would feel guilty about opening a 3rd bag! I probably wouldn't even open the 2nd bag. But if I have one large bag, I'm likely to just keep snacking and not even notice how much I've eaten.
It makes me think I should buy snack-size packs of chips (the kind you usually give to kids) instead of buying big bags of chips. I'll remember that next time I'm at the grocery store :)
@siddhesh511 (190)
• India
1 Jan 07
oh given the fact that i m underweight i should rather increase my weight!!i should be rather trickin my body to eat more and more!!! i am 10 kgs underweight!!!for over weight guys here s a suggestion... eat lots of fibrous stuff and plenty of water,...that way you wil feel full.take care and happy new year..
1 person likes this
@ponygirl (37)
• United States
1 Jan 07
yeah that is a good one. 2 more quick and easy nes, drink a glass of water before anything that you eat. You will feel fuller on much less food.
Second, eat an apple with each meal. They aide in digestion and speed up metabolism. It will make you feel hungry more often but you will eat less at each sitting which raises your metabolism even more. Right away you will feel the benefits and your body changing.
@Centregeek (500)
• United States
1 Jan 07
You will most likely just end up going back for seconds. I suggest that you avoid tricks and just make a committment to yourself. Make a plan and stick to it. Don't beat yourself up if you fall short or eat too much once in a while. You must eat well, but don't forget to exercise too. If you think that you over ate, just don't say my diet is over and end it. Keep going and stay with it. You can do well in the end.
@vivasuzi (4127)
• United States
1 Jan 07
No see, I never go back for seconds. I have the will power to do that. By using a smaller plate, I can't grab as much as I would have with a bigger plate, and I will refuse to get seconds (I almost NEVER get seconds) b/c I usually am not hungry enough to justify another plate.
I don't end diets b/c of mistakes either, b/c that shows a major lack of will power when I see people do that. I also believe it's ok to pig out once in awhile as long as you eat healthy more often than not :)
@medooley (1873)
• United States
1 Jan 07
I will have to try that. What with the new years resolution of trying to drop a couple of pounds. I think that it just may work for me. I know one of my biggest problems is protion size. I eat way to much than I need to just beacuse I pile it on the plate. So if there is less room for the food perhaps I will eat less. I will give it a try. Thanks for posting this.
@vivasuzi (4127)
• United States
1 Jan 07
I agree, I pile up especially on holidays! And then half way through eating I'm usually stuffed, but I want to finish what is on my plate so I over-eat.
Good luck with your resolution! I am trying to drop about 5 pounds and gain some muscles by my wedding in May :) Besides eating healthier portions, I'll have to force myself away from the computer more too!
@noobie (103)
• India
1 Jan 07
no i can't trick my self eating less, but i can trick myself eating more instead.why you wanna eat less, instead eat more but mind what you are eating, like eating more and more salad will not be bad than eating more and more burger.
i ll suggest to not to stop eating. there no such thing as dieting by starving your own body, that what my idea is.
any way dieting itself is a hell foolish idea.instead of controlling your food try to do some exercises.
@vivasuzi (4127)
• United States
1 Jan 07
I don't believe in starving either and I still eat plenty! I am not trying this to starve, I'm trying this so I'm not over-eating.
Exercise is great, but if you eat a whole bag of hershey's kisses than you end up needing twice as much exercise! I believe in eating everything and anything - in moderation... and at the same time getting plenty of exercise, however sometimes if I don't trick myself I end up eating more than I really needed in order to feel fool.
I don't think dieting is a stupid idea - I believe giving up your favorite foods to lose weight is dumb, but cutting back on bad foods is very smart.
@nikunj_1984dec (21)
• India
1 Jan 07
i am very hungry man.i am eat at all thing. about fruit. vegitable,milk. also water also cold drinks also ganga jal .the ganga jal is very pavitra. do you belive in it? it is god mother.
1 person likes this
@kumikosuzuki83 (161)
• Japan
1 Jan 07
I don't know the answer, but I'll definitely try it!!
1 person likes this
