We love Day 23’s tweak! That thing about eating off smaller plates works to reduce your food intake by 22 per cent – but only if they’re not too small. For more information about how to get on the Tweak Diet, scroll down
We’re often told to eat off smaller plates but Dr Brian Wansink, the director of the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University found that they can’t be too small.
‘People eating off plates with a diameter of eight and half to nine and a half inches ate around 22 per cent less than those that ate from larger plates,’ he explains. ‘But when we gave them much smaller plates they went back for seconds!’
To eat less, also choose plates that contrast with the colour of what you’re eating too, he also advises. ‘Serving rice on a white plate led to people eating 20 per cent more so rice and white foods on darker plates and darker foods on lighter plates could help you eat less,’ says Dr Wansink.
Got a favourite diet tweak you wouldn’t be without? Tell us in the comments
JUST JOINED THE HEALTHISTA JANUARY TWEAK DIET? here are some guidelines to get you started
What is the Tweak diet? Designed for anyone who doesn’t want to go on a big starv-y diet during January, we deliver you one new small change to make to your diet or lifestyle on each day in January. You continue each change throughout the month and come February, be on your way to weight loss and new healthy habits you can keep all year. You in?
2. Continue with each of your small changes throughout the month and come end January, you will have built up a heap of new healthy habits and will be well on your way to losing weight and feeling better.
3. If you fall off the wagon just get back on asap If you don’t manage to keep up all your small changes every day, don’t worry. Just get back on the next day or even better, at the next meal.
4. Measure once at the start and once at the end. That’s all Take your waist, hip and bust measurements at the start and end of your tweak-a-thin journey.
5. Send us selfies of your tweak-a-thin journey Post them to Healthista on Twitter, Facebook and in the comments below. At the end of January we’ll publish them and you’ll be in with a chance of winning a Healthista exclusive pamper hamper handpicked by yours truly.
6. Do what you can Obviously you don’t have to do every single tweak we suggest. Even just one will make a difference as we’ve handpicked each change to be small but powerful. The more you do though, the better your results.
More posts in Healthista’s January Daily Tweak Diet
Day #1 Record everything you eat
Day #2 Drink two litres of water daily
Day #3 Your at-a-glance portion guide
Day #4: Have a protein breakfast for weight loss
Day #5 Cut back on sugar with these simple tips
Day #6 Burn an extra 500 calories a day (without the gym)
Day #7 Snack on 40 almonds a day
Day #8 Is it real hunger or a craving?
Day #9 Take the stairs – five times
Day #10 Add flavour without calories
Day #11 Weigh yourself once a week
Day #12 Drink four cups of green tea a day
Day #13 The 4 words that can stop emotional eating
Day #15 Have a bitter green salad before dinner
Day #17 Add vinegar to your food
Day #19 Do short workouts most days
Day #20 Make healthy Ready Meals
Day #22 Have a cup of veg in the AM
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