What you eat is important, but even healthy food can stop you from losing weight if you eat too much of it.

Your brain is easily fooled by shifts in perspective. It’s also more responsive to external cues like an empty plate, than internal cues like a full stomach. Understanding these influences can show you how to tilt them in your favor.

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In his brilliant book, Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think, Brian Wansink encourages you to use the “mindless margin,” a daily 100-200 calorie buffer zone where your brain doesn’t notice a difference in how much you’ve eaten.

Usually we eat more than we should because of the mindless margin, but you can use the same principles to subtly influence your behavior and mindlessly eat less.

Over time this calorie difference can help you drop weight. It’s slow, but it’s steady. And best of all, it’s painless.

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5 Simple Ways To Eat Less Without Noticing

1. Use smaller plates

When you use a smaller plate, it looks as if it holds more food, which means your eyes are telling you that this plate of food will be more filling. So, if you’re trying to cut calories by cutting portion sizes, trim the size of your plate, too.

2. Use taller glasses

If you’re trying to curb your intake of liquid calories, consider the size and shape of the glass you use. Tall skinny glasses appear to hold much more than short, wide ones—which fools your eyes into thinking that your stomach will be getting more.

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3. Plate up in the kitchen instead of at the table

Serving food family style makes it easy for everyone to help themselves, which is precisely why it’s not such a good idea if you’re trying to control portions. With serving dishes on the table, it’s just too easy to have “just another spoonful.” Instead, portion out your meal in the kitchen. The only serving dishes you should keep on the table are those holding low-calorie veggies and salads.

4. Eat protein for breakfast

People love to hype breakfast eating as a miracle weight loss cure, but only breakfasts high in protein have been proven to suppress appetite and reduce subsequent eating throughout the day. Skip the waffles and head to the omelet station instead.

5. Plate color

I’m not suggesting that you go out and buy new plates, but keep in mind that the color of your plate can affect your ability to visualize how much you’re eating. When there’s a large contrast between the color of the food and the color of the plate, picture a dark square of chocolate cake on a bright white plate. It’s easier to visualize the portion, which makes it easier to control how much you are eating.