The Best Weight-Loss Tricks for Your Body

You can reduce your food intake and trick your brain into thinking you’re eating more – all by slicing your food. When you cut up your portion, the serving size looks larger. This visual sends a cue to the brain that you need to slow down your eating. Researchers found that when a meal is sliced up, most people eat 25% less food.

Switch up your morning breakfast and have barley instead, which won’t spike your blood sugar. One serving contains 5 grams of fiber, keeping you fuller for longer so you’ll be able to skip your morning snack and cut out those extra calories. Eat one cup of barley each morning with some fresh fruit. Instead of pearl barley, buy the hulled variety, which is less processed and has more nutrients.

Pickled foods contain a secret weapon: vinegar. This ingredient provides a diluted dose of acetic acid, which creates the tart, tingling taste on your tongue and helps to stabilize your blood sugar levels. This is crucial because when you eat junk food, your insulin levels spike. The acetic acid in pickled foods helps to reduce the amount of insulin released into the body, keeping your levels steady and warding off weight gain. You can pickle any vegetable: red cabbage, asparagus, tomatoes and, of course, cucumbers. Eat one to two servings of pickled vegetables before your meals.

Psyllium fiber swells up in your stomach and helps you feel full. This prevents overeating by reducing the amount of food you eat and giving your body time to register when you’re satisfied. Take 7 grams of soluble psyllium fiber daily – you can split this up into 3 (8 ounce) glasses of water 30 minutes before your meals.

Having 1 cup of soup before lunch and dinner to cut down on calories. By sipping hot soup slowly, you’ll give your body time to realize your stomach’s getting full – and you’ll eat less during your main meal. Try clear soups and avoid cream-based ones, which are packed with extra fat and calories. Try this for two weeks, and you should start to shed the pounds!

A recent study out of Cornell University Food and Brand Lab found that replacing a low-nutrient option like potato chips with a combination low-fat cheese and vegetable snack can reduce your snack consumption by 72%. The combination of the cheese and veggies provides ample calcium and protein, so you don’t need to eat as much to feel full. Most of us snack to the tune of 600 calories a day. Using this trick can cut that number in half.

On average, red wine contains 25 calories an ounce. When using a bigger glass, it’s easy to consume up to 8 ounces, which translates to 200 calories, in one sitting. The next time you’re out and about, use a tall, skinny glass. You’ll easily cut your portion down to about 5 ounces and only 125 calories. This trick allows you to enjoy your drink without having to stress about overindulging.

Ordering a child-sized portion is full of benefits. You’ll eliminate leftovers and cut calories, and the serving size will still be enough food to fill you up. At one fast-food restaurant, an adult-size cheeseburger is 710 calories, while the child-size option at the same restaurant is 290 calories – a difference of 420 calories!

Eat healthy carbs, such as steel cut oats, whole-grain cereals or whole-grain breads and muffins before noon. Studies show this type of breakfast helps you stay on your weight-loss program longer because it satiates your carb cravings early in the day when you still have the most time to burn those calories off. Try this trick each morning.

This caffeine-free, naturally sweet red tea helps to reduce your cravings. Rooibos tea is available in grocery stores all over the country. Replace your favorite sugary drink with one cup of iced or hot tea each day and you’ll be cutting tons of extra, empty calories without feeling deprived. Bonus: Think of all the healthy antioxidants you’ll be consuming.

Science has shown that the use of aromas can influence the brain in very profound ways, and the smell of vanilla can crush sweet cravings. Try lighting a vanilla-scented candle before each meal or wear vanilla-scented lotion every day.

The trick to this weight-loss tip is to use peppermint toothpaste! The flavor is proven to suppress your appetite. Plus, brushing your teeth sends a signal to your brain that you’re done eating, so you’ll likely limit your snacking after you’ve brushed.