Trick Your Brain Into Eating Less...

A pint of ice cream technically contains four servings, but it can easily turn into one, because nothing triggers your brain to say, “stop!” If you’ve ever scraped the bottom of the container and thought, “shoot, I didn’t mean to eat the whole thing” you know exactly what I mean, and there’s some science, which reveals this is not at all uncommon. 

Whether it’s empty candy wrappers, chicken wing bones, or left behind pizza crust, even if we’re not consciously aware of it, if given the chance, our brains tend to keep track of what we've eaten. Previous research shows that when this eating “evidence” is taken away, we consume more. The good news is, you can use this info to your advantage in simple and effective ways. For example:

• Don’t eat straight from the container
• Choose plates and bowls that represent the serving you want to eat. In other words, if your goal is to eat a half cup of cooked oats or ice cream, don’t place your portion in a bowl that holds four times that amount.     
• Plant visual speed bumps in smart ways. Place a measuring cup or spoon on top of jars of nuts or nut butter, or stick one right into your cereal box. You’ll be less likely to grab handfuls you can’t keep track of, or eat right out of the package.
• Allow evidence to accumulate. If you’re eating individually wrapped chocolate squares don’t toss the wrapper in the trash after opening each one. Letting them pile up means you won’t forget if you’re on your third or forth square.