How to eat less

1. EAT PROTEIN FOR BREAKFAST
Take eggs on toast or cornflakes with milk for breakfast. Studies have shown that a high-protein breakfast daily  decreases hunger until lunch. Protein also has a high degree of satiety and satisfaction, and leads to lower calorie intake at lunch and dinner.

2. DRINK MORE WATER
Studies found that obese dieters who drank two glasses of water before each meal lost 2kg more than a group of dieters who didn’t increase their water intake. It is also found that drinking one glass of water immediately before a meal helps people eat less and still feel just as satisfied after the meal.

3. SMALLER PORTIONS
Lose weight by having smaller portions, especially when it comes to food high in fat and sugar. Eating smaller portions will help you stay full longer and reduce snacking. Research has found that people who eat only two to three large meals per day are much more likely to become overweight than those who eat more frequent but smaller meals.

4. EAT SLOWLY
Chew your food slowly because it will lead you to eat less. Experts say it can take as long as 20 minutes before your stomach tells the brain to initiate satiety response. When you eat slowly, within the 20 minutes, you eat less food and your brain will tell you that you are full.

A University Of Rhode Island research found that those who ate slowly end up consuming fewer calories and they reported feeling fuller after eating. That feeling also lasted longer. Eating slowly has been shown to increase the body’s response to hormones produced in the digestive tract.

5. FRUIT BEFORE MEALS
People usually eat fruit after a meal. But the best way to ensure we eat less is to eat fruit at least 30 minutes before meals. The fibre in the fruit will lead you to feel full longer as fibre slows down digestion. It also helps block the absorption of fat and cholesterol.  If you eat meals on an empty stomach, you tend to overeat.

6. CHOOSE SMALLER PLATES
Using a smaller plate is like tricking your brain that you have more food on it. Research by Cornell University found that when a fixed portion of food was eaten from a large plate, people felt they had been give a smaller than average portion, so they ate more. But when the same portion of food was placed on a smaller dish, it looked more substantial, so they ate less. It would also stop you from going for seconds.

7. EAT AT THE DINING TABLE
Don’t eat in front of the television, at the computer or while reading as you will eat mindlessly. When you are distracted, you won’t pay attention to your food and may end up eating more. Studies show that people tend to eat  40 per cent more when they are distracted. And most of the time mindless eating will involve junk food.

8. SHARE DESSERT
Split dessert with others. If you are eating out with family or friends and want that piece of cake, share it with them. This means you won’t be tempted to finish the whole slice. Even better, allow yourself only a few bites.

9. DON’T FINISH OTHER people’S FOOD
Even if you feel it’s wastage, don’t finish off your children’s or your friends’ food. You have already had your share, so eating other people’s food will add to the calories — something  you don’t need.

10. COUNT CALORIES
With the technology available today, you can count the calories of food easily. So if you are thinking of having nasi biryani for lunch, check out the calories, including the amount of carbohydrate, protein and fat. Then you know you will have to eat a much lighter dinner.