- Have an early night. If you get an extra hour-and-a-half of sleep, you’ll probably eat fewer kilojoules the next day. Scientists discovered people who averaged five-and-a-half hours’ sleep munched 920 more daily kilojoules – mostly in the form of snacks – than those who hit the sack early and slept about eight-and-a-half hours.
- You’ll eat 15% fewer calories if you sit down and eat more slowly. Scoffing a meal means that your hypothalamus – the part of the brain that senses when you’re full – doesn’t receive the right signals, which is why you may feel hungrier sooner. Time yourself eating a meal and then eat the same meal on another occasion, taking 50% longer. See if you feel fuller afterwards.
- Shrink your serving spoons and bowls as well as your plates. When you use a large serving spoon and big bowls, you’re more likely to help yourself to more food. Researchers found people served themselves at least 31% more when they use larger serving spoons.
- Say no to liquid kilojoules. We consume most of our daily kilojoules through juices, soft drinks, lattes and after-work wines. Switch to sugar-free and low-kilojoule drinks, such as tea, herbal tea and water, and you could lose 3.5kg in four months.
- Start each meal with a glass of water. Dieters who did this lost more weight over 12 weeks compared with the dieters who skipped the water.
