Unusual ways to lose weight

MANILA, Philippines – We all know the basic drill when it comes to losing weight. Eat the right amount of food and top it with regular exercise. But other than those, there are other ways to shed some pounds.

Here are some of the unusual but effective ways to get rid of those flabs.

Sniff green apples or bananas 
It is quite difficult to draw a line between real hunger and craving. So when in doubt, sniff green apples and bananas. Smelling "neutral" sweet smells can control appetite. It may seem weird, but according to  Alan R. Hirsch, M.D., neurological director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, the more frequently people sniffed, the less hungry they were and the more weight they lose. Moreover, German Research Center for Food Chemistry found that even just smelling extra virgin coconut oil may lead to greater feelings of fullness.

Eat on a blue plate
Ever wonder why you haven’t seen any fast food chain with walls painted blue? Colormatters.com says that blue is an appetite suppressant color. Weight loss experts suggest that eating on a blue plate is an effective practice if you want to lose pounds. Our bodies do not have an appetite response for color blue because blue food is rare in nature. History suggest that a million years ago, when our earliest ancestors were looking for food, blue, purple and black were "color warning signs" of potentially lethal food.

Put mirror in front of your dining table
A study conducted by Arizona State University and Erasmus University Rotterdam found out that eating in front of a mirror curbs the appetite. The results were derived after placing a mirror in front of people eating their meal. The researchers believe that people eat less because looking at their selves while eating makes them aware of how their body looks like and how they want their body to look like. In this case, mirror really serves as your conscience when eating a lot.

Eat food with strong aromas

According to a 2012 study in the journal Flavour, strong aromas make you take smaller bites of food. Cajun, cayenne pepper and hot sauce provide a lot of flavors that satisfy yourself without adding pounds to your body. These spicy add-ons also speed up your metabolism, making your body burn more. Previous researches suggest that Capsaicin, the active ingredient in chile peppers, significantly improves fat burning.

Brush your teeth after every meal, especially dinner
Ivan Petrovich Pavlov, a Russian physiologist known for his classical conditioning concept also plays a role to your weight loss task. Brushing your teeth right after eating will help you achieve your weight loss plan. The fresh and minty smell of your mouth will signal your brain to thinking that you are already full. Aside from that, the minty taste affects the flavor of the next food you’ll put in your mouth therefore decreasing the appetite.