5 Strange Diet Rules That Could Actually Work

We have a lot of rules when in it comes to losing weight or dieting. The main rule is to burn the same amount of calories that you consume. That is easier said than done in the busy 9-6 society we live in. Although these diet rules are tried and tested, there are a few which may sound egregious but might actually work. 

Here are 5 of the strangest diet tips that might actually help you reduce that expanding waist line. 

1. Watch What You Eat

No, not that. We literally mean watch yourself when you are eating your food, by placing a mirror in front you. No, this is not to admire yourself biting into a piece of meat. A study found that when people eat in front of mirrors, the amount they consume is reduced by one third. No one knows exactly why but we feel that watching yourself go for that second helping of chicken or that second scoop of ice-cream could invoke a little bit of guilt within ourselves. 

2. Hershey’s Kisses Will Help You Lose Weight

No, you cannot inhale that entire pack of Hershey Kisses and expect to lose weight. What we mean is that any item wrapped individually can help you reduce the amount of food that you consume. A Swedish study found that when people are presented with wrapped and unwrapped chocolates, they consume nearly 30 percent less of the wrapped chocolates. Why? A simple explanation could be that we are too lazy to continuously unwrap things, even if it is something as good as chocolates. 

3. Selfies Are Actually Not The Spawn Of Satan

We hate selfies. Let’s get that out of the way first. But taking pictures of food can actually help you eat less. Joan Salge Blake, nutritionist and author of Nutrition & You says, “Snapping photos and then looking back at them can make people stop and think before indulging.” 

4. Cold Food Is Actually Better

We all love pasta. It is delicious and it goes down by the bowlful every time we make it at home. Although pasta is a dietary no-no with its high starch and carb content, you can turn it in to a kick-ass fat burner simply by refrigerating it. According to a research study conducted for the journal Nutrition & Metabolism, cooling down pasta distinctly changes its chemical structure and releases something called “resistant starch”, which according to the study is helpful in fat oxidation in your body. 

5. Sniff your food

It might be a disgusting habit, but bear with us for a bit. Studies have found that when you sniff fruits such as green apple, bananas and pears, it actually helps in curbing your hunger pangs and helps you stick with your nutritious and healthy diet plan. According to a study conducted by Dr Alan R. Hirsch of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, when people sniff their food, their hunger levels dramatically reduce. One thought might be that sniffing the food actually tricks your brain into thinking that you have already consumed the food. 

These diet rules might seem a little whacky and a little out there but trust us, it works. These rules are the best in that it doesn’t require any drastic modification of your lifestyle or dietary habits and can also help in keeping you on track to get those six pack abs.