Sometimes, losing weight boils down to how much you shove into your mouth during a given meal. All the interval training and low-fat yogurt in the world will not save you from consistent mis-steps at the dinner table.

I found a research study from Sweden where subjects ate 22% less food when they were blindfolded, but they felt just as full as usual. This brings new meaning to the phrase “Looks like your eyes really are bigger than your stomach“!

Conclusion: Taking vision out of the picture may help you achieve your weight loss goals!

Without the sense of sight, you are forced to rely on internal signals of satisfaction from your stomach and brain. Most of us normally rely on external cues such as an empty plate, the end of a TV show, or the bottom of a chip bag, to tell us when we’re full.

Stop, I know what your thinking. Go grab the blindfold from the bedroom and use it at the dinner table? Umm… not exactly.

Here are some more practical ways to tune in to your body’s hunger cues and eat less:

 
1. Clear the table. Place the mail and other clutter elsewhere. Set out just the dinnerware and a candle or simple flower centerpiece.

2. Avoid distractions. Don’t watch TV or read while you dine. When you do other things while you eat, you’re less likely to notice when you’re comfortably full.

3. Go solo. Eating alone allows you to focus. If that’s not practical, limit your number of dinner companions.

4. Serve individual courses. Eat your salad first, then have your entrée. And leave the extras on the stove. Only put on the table what you’re eating. This will stretch out your meal so you’ll recognize sooner when you’ve had enough.

5. Close your eyes (for the first few bites). Really taste what you’re eating.

For more ideas on how to eat less, specifically for women, check out our review of Fit Yummy Mummy by Holly Rigbsy. She outlines everything within her program from proper goal setting and mindset to a 16-week workout plan and a ready made grocery list for you.