Training your brain sounds complicated (especially when it comes to eats), but there are some simple tricks and tips that can help you with it.
According to nutritionists and psychologists, 95% of the actions we carry out daily are based on our unconscious processes and habits that we’ve developed over time. This is applicable to eating as well.
Fortunately, you can replace unhealthy tendencies and develop a weight-loss mindset. As a general rule, it takes 21 to 90 days to develop a new habit. Below mentioned are some easiest things you can do and train your brain to eat less food.
1. Plan your meals at the start of the day
Planning healthy and nutritious meals before doing your weekly grocery helps you fight against the powers of the snack food shelves. If you’re planning a dinner out with your friends and family, try to read the online menu and nutritional details in advance.
If you were thinking of ordering a big family pizza, you could instead order a healthy starter and a small dessert from the menu. But if you indulge once in a while, plan strictly healthy meals for the following day.
2. Organize your pantry
Are you planning to throw all the snacks in a bin? You don’t need to. Training your brain is less about decluttering your kitchen and more about organizing it and developing a mindful and balanced attitude towards eating. A practical and effective strategy is to put your chocolates and cookies out of sight, because ease of access can easily lead to mindless snacking.
3. Consume 20% less
Like most people, you might be eating 20% more food without noticing. The simplest way is to cut back the portion of food you cook. So, if you make cook yourself 100g of spaghetti, cut out the 20g and make it 80g. Replace this 20g of spaghetti with 20% of more veggies to fill your stomach and create a feeling of satisfaction.
4. Drink water before eating
The magical drink had before meals can stretch your stomach and produce feelings of fullness even before you tuck in.
5. Turn it down
Would you believe it if I tell you that listening to the sound of your own chewing can help you eat less?
In fact, not hearing the sound of chewing makes people overeat, according to studies. So, the next time you turn on the TV while eating your dinner, make sure to keep the volume levels low. Better turn it off entirely and focus on your food.
6. Eat with the non-dominant hand
Many experts suggest that people who eat with their less dominant hand eat 30% less food on average. This happens because the chances that you will eat mindlessly will be entirely eliminated. Trying to eat with the non-dominant hand can result in mindful eating. Unless you happen to be proficient at it, using chopsticks will deliver the same benefits.
7. Eat slowly
I’ve said it before, and I am saying it again: “The human brain 20 minutes to realize that the stomach is full.” Eating your food too quickly means removing the opportunity for our brain to receive the message. If we eat slowly and take our time, we’ll observe our body saying, “Stop it.” You can use a timer app and set it for 25 minutes.
8. Choose your snacks wisely
Hunger between meals is a common issue faced by people trying to lose weight by eating less. Make sure you understand your cravings and shut them up with healthy foods. I personally suggest water and a fruity flavor of chewing gum as they work best to suppress appetite.
9. Make a photo diary
Who doesn’t love taking snaps? Taking pictures of each drink, meal, or snack is a great way to develop an awareness of how much you are actually eating. Review it daily and notice if you’re eating something unhealthy. Set a period to track your meals, say ten days, then stop doing it for a while to prevent yourself from getting obsessed.
Kimi Verma is a full-time nutritionist and life coach. She’s on a mission to help people transform their lives by ditching fad diets and replacing them with some small lifestyle changes for achieving ultimate health. She has discusses why dieting can fail and shares the mini secrets that can help people excess fats but also regulate digestion, boost immunity, and improve mood. If you are on a lookout for someone who can assist you with your health goals, she’s the right person to talk to. For more details, visit www.kimiermaofficial.com
