Can dieting tricks, like eating in the nude, help curb your calorie intake? Jessica Fellowes consults the experts
Attempting to lose weight at this time of year can be trying. With the days getting shorter and a marked change in the weather, most of us react as squirrels - instinctively, we want to bulk up for winter, stuff ourselves with carbs and settle down for a long snooze.
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A new report says that the best way to curb your calorie intake is the so-called "flash diet". The University of Wisconsin-Madison revealed last week that would-be weight-watchers who took pictures of their food before tucking in responded to the visual food diary by eating less; the thought of taking a picture of four scoops of Rocky Road ice-cream was a powerful disincentive to eat it.
Similar tricks to help you stop overindulging have been handed down over the years - such as starting a meal with soup or a glass of water, to more extreme ideas, like dining naked to make you aware of what exactly you are eating. We asked the experts which methods are actually worth spoiling your appetite for.
UNDRESS FOR DINNER
How it works: Most of us would be repulsed by the sight of ourselves stuffing food into a body where love handles are on show. Taking your clothes off before you eat, to make you feel self-conscious about every fattening mouthful, is one option.
But if that doesn't work, curb your cravings by eating naked in front of a full-length mirror. This is only recommended when dining solo - and definitely not in restaurants.
The expert's view: Matt Roberts, personal trainer to stars such as Madonna and Sting, says that such an extreme way to reduce your food intake might just work. "While it's probably best not to try this with hot soup, I think that everyone should take an occasional, honest look at themselves naked to assess what shape they are really in."
TRY THE FLASH DIET
How it works: Before eating anything - meals or snacks - take a photo of it. As most mobile phones now have cameras, this is easy to do. The idea is that you will be too ashamed to keep a record of fattening foods and will avoid eating them. This way, you can also spot if, say, you aren't eating enough greens.
The expert's view: Zoe Hellman, dietician for WeightWatchers, says the flash diet could catch on: "Tracking what you eat using modern technology can help with weight loss, as most of us are appalling at estimating what we have eaten. Without tracking, many people believe that they have consumed around 30-40 per cent less than they actually have."
USE SMALLER PLATES
How it works: A method allegedly practised by Liz Hurley, this is literally childlike in its simplicity. By eating with a miniature plate, knife and fork, the mind is tricked into thinking it's eating more, because the plate looks full.
The expert's view: Ian Marber, principal consultant at The Food Doctor Clinic, says the visual trick can fool the brain into satiety. "Using smaller plates make us think we are still eating a full portion."
FILL UP ON SOUP
How it works: Lining your stomach with something filling but low in calories like soup should ensure you need less meat and veg.
The expert's view: Mike Shallcross, deputy editor of Men's Health, says: "This has been proven to work. Even a small bowl of soup as a first course will make you less likely to eat a big main course, and put you off a pudding of sugary, empty calories. Plus, you add to your intake of good things like vegetables."
DRINK WATER
How it works: H2O is believed by many dieters to be a natural appetite-suppressant. A large glass before every meal makes your tummy feel full for longer, so you eat less.
The expert's view: Rick Wilson, director of nutrition and dietetics at King's College Hospital, says: "Drinking water, especially cold water, before a meal is said to slow down 'gastric emptying' - that part of digestion in which the food is kept in the stomach to mix with the acids - and keeps you feeling full before being released. But the evidence for this is pretty thin."
BRUSH YOUR TEETH
How it works: Freshening up your mouth sends a signal to your brain that you have finished eating, therefore suppressing your appetite. Brush your teeth and your food craving disappears. If you do indulge, most foodstuffs taste revolting when your mouth is minty fresh - even cream cake.
The expert's view: Matt Roberts, personal trainer, says: "This is an easy trick that provides you with something to do with your hands rather than eat! In reality, it is only likely to last a few minutes before the munchies take over. Unless you brush your teeth 30 times a day, I doubt it will work."
WEAR TIGHT-FITTING CLOTHES
How it works: Feeling the seams strain during supper is a sure way of saying "no" to second helpings. And there is nothing more likely to put you off your pudding than the red welts in your flesh from a dug-in waistband.
The expert's view: Mike Shallcross says: "The problem with this is that it encourages feelings of self-loathing, which is a central cause of overeating. People should try to enjoy their food - think of the French, who eat flavoursome food, just less of it."
PIN YOUR MOST FLATTERING PHOTO ON THE FRIDGE
How it works: If, every time you raid the fridge, you are confronted by a picture of yourself looking good, the mental association will help stop your snack attack.
The expert's view: Zoe Hellman says: "Positive thinking is a powerful way to help you lose weight. But put up a realistic picture of yourself looking good, on the beach or at a party, rather than an image of a celebrity from a magazine that you'd like to look like. Attainability is everything."
KEEP A FOOD DIARY
How it works: A recent study on long-term strategies for weight loss, which followed 1,700 volunteers over six months, showed that those who kept a food diary lost twice as much weight as those who didn't.
The expert's view: Rick Wilson says: "Any trick that raises your awareness of the fact that you're eating will help. It's not something that works long-term, but a seven-day diary, with no detail left out - you have to include even the water you drink when you brush your teeth - will give you a snapshot of your diet. Then you can say: 'How can I improve it?'"
DO THE CHEW-CHEW
How it works: Horace Fletcher, an overweight Victorian art dealer known as The Great Masticator, lost 45 pounds with his method of chewing every mouthful 32 times before spitting out what remained. He claimed that the body would thus still absorb the nutrients and enjoy the flavour without taking in any of the calories.
The expert's view: Ian Marber says: "Chewing leads to what is called in the food industry 'mouth feel' - in other words, the experience of having eaten. This might make one eat less, but it's a long shot."
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