April 1st, known as April Fools’ Day, is a time for harmless pranks and playful lies. The fun is all about tricking someone temporarily and then revealing the joke. Interestingly, experts suggest that, much like these April Fools’ pranks, tricking your body can actually help with dieting. The key? Fool your body into thinking you’re not on a diet, even when you are. But how can you do this, and what methods really help with weight loss?
The secret to successful dieting might lie in tricking your body into not realizing it’s on a diet. Normally, when we diet, we aim to eat less to lose weight. However, the body can perceive this as a crisis if we consistently reduce our food intake. It senses it’s not getting enough energy and, as a result, conserves fat to protect itself.
This often leads to a plateau, where weight loss slows down, even if you stick to the same diet and exercise plan. One potential solution? The three-day eating, one-day fasting method. The idea is to eat your usual meals for three days and then completely fast on the fourth day. This strategy tricks the body into not recognizing that it’s on a diet.
According to Dr Chae Kyu Hee, director of 365mc Nowon Clinic, “When you suddenly skip a meal after eating normally, the body doesn’t immediately respond. Instead, it taps into stored fat for energy.” He explains that this method can help burn fat more effectively while consuming a similar number of calories as you normally would each day.
This approach helps you burn fat without triggering starvation mode, which could otherwise make weight loss more difficult.
If following the 4-day cycle is difficult to manage every week, Chae suggests fasting once or twice a week. Stick to your regular meals for five days, and then fast for one or two days. If a full fast seems too challenging, you can opt for a very low-calorie meal (around 400-600 calories) instead.
If you’re struggling to reduce your portions, try serving smaller portions in a larger bowl. Studies show this visual trick can fool your brain into feeling more satisfied, even with less food.
A 2022 study published in the Korean Dietitians Association Journal involved 36 women in their 20s over three weeks. During the first week, participants were given 400g of food in a regular-sized bowl. In the second week, they received 300g in a larger bowl (a visual illusion bowl). In the third week, they were served the same 300g in a regular-sized bowl.
The results revealed that participants felt just as full in the second week (with less food) as in the first week, even though they consumed fewer calories. Interestingly, they reported feeling fuller when they ate 300g from the larger bowl (week 2) than when they ate the same amount from a regular-sized bowl (week 3).
This research suggests that perceived intake, influenced by visual cues, significantly affects how full we feel. By tricking your eyes and brain, you can feel full with fewer calories—an effective strategy for sticking to a diet.
It’s also crucial not to succumb to our brains’ food cravings, especially when we’re stressed. Stress can trigger the brain’s reward system, leading to impulsive cravings for junk food. A helpful technique to combat this is identifying false hunger—the difference between true hunger and emotional cravings.
One simple method is the broccoli test. If you’re feeling hungry but can only access broccoli at home and are willing to eat it, you’re likely experiencing true hunger. If you’d prefer not to eat it, you’re more likely to deal with false hunger, driven by emotional triggers.
Chae suggests that instead of giving in to stress-induced cravings, it is better to eat a small portion of healthy foods, such as almonds, boiled eggs, or bananas. This helps to manage both stress and hunger healthily.
Unique methods also involve using or tricking the brain to aid weight loss. One such technique is the neuroscience-based diet proposed by Dr Choi Hyung Jin, a specialist in endocrinology from Seoul National University’s Department of Medical Science and Brain & Cognitive Science.
Dr Choi’s method begins with taking action through thoughts that can be changed. This approach focuses on finding healthier alternatives to addictive foods. For instance, if you love soda, start by switching to a calorie-free diet soda, then gradually transition to sparkling water and eventually to plain water.
Next, it is important to find ways to relieve stress without turning to food. This might involve sports, chatting with friends, or pursuing hobbies. If you’re meeting friends outside, consider avoiding places like cafes and restaurants. Instead, try to choose more active locations like parks, where you can socialize while staying active.
Finally, Dr Choi recommends imagining yourself living a completely different, healthier life. He shared, “I’ve actually encouraged patients to imagine a life where they’ve moved to the countryside and are farming.” He explained that changing just a few elements in your daily reality can create a similar effect to the imagined environment.
He emphasized, “Sometimes, you can even transform your life in the direction you’ve imagined.” Envisioning a healthier lifestyle can lead to lasting changes in your daily habits and mindset.
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