As summer is fast approaching, a lot of us are looking for effective yet painless ways to shed some pounds that we might have gained over the colder months. And if you find it difficult to stick to diet plans and you wish you could lose weight without any food restrictions, then we might have something right up your alley.

In this article, Bright Side will share with you two easy ways to start eating less without really testing your self-control. And don’t miss our bonus tip at the end of the article.

1. Switch your plates.

There is such a term as gastrophysics (gastronomical physics). This discipline studies how our surroundings affect our eating habits. According to this, everything from the weight of the silverware to the shape, size, and color of the plate can determine how much food you will eat.

First, throw out all of your oversized plates and get yourself some smaller ones. A recent study showed that the same amount of food will look different on a large plate than on a small plate. If you put a small portion on a large plate, your mind will tell you that it’s not enough, and you will probably add to it until the plate is full. This will lead to overeating.

But if you put the same size portion on a small plate, the food will appear bigger, so you will end up eating less or just enough to satisfy your hunger. In other words, if you switch from 12-inch plates to 10-inch plates, you will decrease you calorie intake by 22%. This difference in size perception is called the Delboeuf Illusion.

2. Pick the right color.

It’s not only the size of the plate that matters. The same study showed that color plays a big role too. In order to lose weight, you need to pick plates that contrast with your food the most.

Let’s say, you have a white and a red plate and you need to serve pasta pre-mixed with white alfredo sauce and red tomato sauce. Research has shown that if you put white sauce on a white plate, you will probably overserve. This is because the colors blend in together and the portion doesn’t appear that large.

But if you put white sauce on a red plate, the contrast will be higher and you won’t serve as much. The study showed that when your plates don’t match the food, you serve about 30% less of it.

In other words, the more contrast there is between your food and your dinnerware, the better. It might be a good idea to change the color of your dining table, but if that’s not possible, changing the color of the tablecloth may help you reach the desired contrast as well. If you want to go even further, choose the blue plates. This color is considered to be an appetite suppressant and no natural food is blue, so you will always have that contrast.

Bonus:

With this trick, you can kill two birds with one stone. The trick is to drink at least one full glass of water before every meal, or better, 2. Water will fill your stomach and you will probably eat a smaller portion.

This will not only help you to easily cut down some calories from your diet but it will also keep you more hydrated which is really good for your overall health. This is a great life hack for those who forget to drink water or can’t get used to it.

Drinking 0.5 L (17 oz) of water also helps you burn about 30% more calories an hour after intake. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?

We hope you find these tips helpful and if you have anything to add about your own weight loss regimen or if you’ve already tried any of these tips, let us know in the comments!