You probably already know that combining a healthy diet with exercise will help you shed those excess pounds, but is there anything else you can do to speed up the process? The short answer is yes. We scoured over research to find some strange weight loss tips that actually work.
While we’ve heard some of them before, some of them were new to us too. They may seem out of the box at first, but don’t knock ‘em til you try ‘em! You may just end up losing more weight in the end.
When eating out, sit at the end of the table.
This tip was actually from one of the doctors on the show The Doctors and we thought it was a great one. When you’re out with a group of people at a restaurant, the waiter tends to place bread or chip baskets in the middle of the table. Make it a point to sit at the end of the table so it’s more work for you to get to that basket and it’s not sitting right in front of you screaming in your face.
Eat spicy food.
Cayenne pepper helps boost your metabolism, so eating spicy food regularly can actually help promote weight loss. This doesn’t mean dump some cayenne pepper on your plate of chili cheese fries, but consider adding a little kick to your healthy meals.
Eat in front of a mirror.
It may seem vain, but it works. Eating in front of a mirror has been shown to decrease the amount of calories that you take in by nearly 33 percent.
Go for individually wrapped treats.
We generally like to encourage eating fresh, whole foods, but when you do reach for a piece of chocolate or candy, stick to individually wrapped varieties. Research shows that individuals eat 30 percent less candy when they actually had to unwrap each piece first. It’s a lot harder to eat a handful of wrapped candy than it is to pop a handful of M&Ms into your mouth. This is especially relevant with Halloween just a couple weeks away.
Light vanilla-scented candles.
Research shows that the smell of vanilla has been shown to reduce dessert cravings. Instead of reaching for that vanilla ice cream, light a vanilla candle or put a couple capfuls of vanilla extract in a coffee cup in the oven and bake at 300°F for about an hour.
Turn down the lights.
Researchers at Ohio State University did an animal study that found that mice who slept in total darkness – as opposed to dim lights from the television or other electronics – were less prone to obesity than those who snoozed in complete darkness. While we can’t say with 100 percent certainty that these findings translate to humans, it can’t hurt to try!
Shut off the TV.
People who watch less TV during the day tend to burn more calories on average than people who spend more time in front of the television. This may be because you’re forced to do something other than sit, but whatever the reason, it works.
Get a smaller plate.
Another one of our strange weight loss tips is to eat from a smaller plate. When you have a bigger plate, you tend to serve yourself more because you’re trying to fill up that empty space. Save yourself some calories by using smaller plates and bowls. You’ll still be satisfied and you’ll trick your brain into thinking that you ate more than you actually did.
Surround yourself with blue.
Research shows that the color blue acts as an appetite suppressant, so people tend to eat about one-third less when in a blue room. On the other hand, red, yellow, and orange tend to boost appetite. Get yourself a blue tablecloth and a blue tablecloth and you may take in fewer calories.
