Weight loss mind tricks

Willpower is all very well – but in the struggle to lose weight, a little mental trickery may help. Dieters have tried everything from buying clothes a size too small, to eating from small plates.

A study has revealed some of the mind games that we play on ourselves to help us lose weight. Top of the list was buying clothes that don’t fit to wear ‘when I’m skinny’, with 81% saying they do so.

Nearly half said putting pictures of themselves looking fat on cupboards or the fridge deterred them from snacking, while a quarter used snaps of slim celebrities to give themselves a target to aim towards.

One dieter said: ‘I once bought a skirt that was a bit on the snug side and finally lost enough weight to get into it during the summer. It took me the grand total of six years. I have to admit, I felt amazing when I finally put it on and it fitted. I will not be putting those pounds back on.’

Other popular tricks we’ve heard of include:

Use smaller plates – commonly known as ‘diet plates’, they help visually control your portion sizes. The areas are marked on the plate, so no need for weighing or measuring. Check out our ‘Calorie Controlled Breakfast Bowl’ for just £20.

Eating in front of a mirror – a study found that eating in front of mirrors reduced the amount people ate by nearly a third.

Surround yourself with blue – we’ve mentioned this one before, but there’s a good reason you won’t see many fast food restaurants decorated in blue. The colour functions as an appetite suppressant! So serve food on blue plates, dress in blue while you eat, or cover your table with a blue tablecloth. Equally, avoid red, yellow, and orange in your dining areas. They actually encourage eating.

Photograph your food – not only will it provide you with perfect Instagram material, but a visual account of your consumption can help curb your intake. This works under the same idea as keeping a food diary, but with a more visual representation.

Tie yourself up – fitness guru Valerie Orsoni gets clients to wear a ribbon around their waist (under their clothes) when they go out for dinner. It keeps them conscious of their tummy – particularly if the ribbon starts to feel tighter as the evening goes on!

Have you got any weight loss tricks of your own? Let us know!