Have you been struggling with being overweight for a long time? Well, if the usual methods don’t help much, maybe it’s time to take a different approach. Introducing 9 unexpected life hacks that can help you shed a few unwanted kilos…

Trick 1: Choose Difficult Foods

What does «difficult food» mean? This refers to such food, the preparation of which requires more effort and time, or even that which needs to be unpacked before cooking. Why should you choose her? According to research, people eat much less if food preparation requires some effort from them. Next time you buy candy, make sure each one is individually wrapped…

Trick 2: Smell but don’t eat

Sounds funny? But it works. By sniffing food, you get the opportunity to trick your brain into thinking that you are actually eating something. The feeling of hunger decreases, which in turn affects how much you eat per day. Some foods are better — choose those that have a specific smell, such as apples, bananas, strawberries, cheese, or even just mint.

Trick 3: Start Big, End Small

Let’s say you consume 2000 calories in three daily meals — breakfast, lunch and dinner. Do you think it matters what order you eat them in? Which is better: 800 calories for breakfast, 700 for lunch and 500 for dinner — or vice versa, breakfast 500, lunch 700 and dinner 800? It turns out there is a difference! Much It’s easier to lose weight if you start your day with a hearty breakfast and end with a light dinner.

Trick 4: Light a Candle After a Meal

The first candle that came across, of course, will not work — you need an aromatic one, and it is better to take those that smell like vanilla or chocolate. The fact is that their aroma reduces cravings for desserts. It may seem that the smell of vanilla or chocolate increases hunger, but studies have shown that in fact the opposite is true — it suppresses. Interesting to try, right?

Trick 5: Wear the tape around your belly

This quirky advice comes from France, where some women tied ribbons around their stomachs before eating. If they ate too much and the stomach was full, they immediately felt it thanks to the tape and could stop in time. While there aren’t any scientific studies to back up the method’s effectiveness yet, it’s still worth checking out… just in case.

Trick 6: Make blue your favorite color

Seriously. Wear blue, paint your kitchen walls blue, choose a blue tablecloth, blue placemats, or even blue plates and cutlery if you can find it. What for? Then what blue color is known to suppress appetite. On the other hand, warm colors like yellow, orange and red seem to increase appetite. Stay away from them!

Trick 7: Turn on as many lights as possible

Have you ever noticed that in restaurants the lights dim during meals? This is done not only out of a desire to create a comfortable romantic atmosphere, but also because reduced light increases appetite. So if you’re just trying to lose a couple of kilos, try to eat in a brightly lit room — whether at home or not.

Trick 8: Hang a mirror in the kitchen

But not on any wall — place a mirror opposite where you usually sit while eating. What is the meaning of this strangeness? People tend to eat a lot less if they have to look at themselves. Imagine — you can see each of the dozens of bites that load your body with hundreds of calories. Sometimes even the thought of watching yourself at such moments helps!

Trick 9: Never finish your portion

Simple but very effective. Regardless of the time of day or whatever you’re eating, save the last three bites on your plate for later. These pieces can be eaten at your next meal, and sometimes you won’t want to finish them at all. In any case, you can significantly reduce the amount of calories consumed. Well thought out, right?