The weirdest weight loss tip we’ve ever heard: Eat in front of a mirror
Chocolate cake calling your name? Try eating it in front of a mirror.
This may be the single craziest tip we’ve heard for breaking bad eating habits — and we’ve heard a lot. But it could come in handy if you find yourself staring down bikini season with a bunch of broken weight-loss resolutions in the rear-view mirror.
A 2015 study out of the University of Central Florida found that consuming unhealthful foods while gazing at your reflection causes you to eat less.
Researcher Ata Jami, an assistant professor of marketing, served brownies to two groups of subjects, then asked them to describe their feelings while eating them.
“Those who [were instructed to eat] the brownies in front of a mirror felt more uncomfortable, uneasy or bothered than those who ate the brownies when there was no mirror in front of them,†he says.
This psychological discomfort also caused his subjects eating in front of the mirror to find the brownies less tasty.
That could be useful if you’re trying to break a bad eating habit.
And it can also work to foster positive eating habits.
Ata says using a mirror when deciding what to eat is also helpful. Watching yourself choose salad over fries can feel good, and taste good.
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