To lose weight, stop counting calories ; rather count it number of bites ! This is what researchers from Brigham Young University (Utah, United States) propose in a study published in the scientific journal Advances in Obesity, Weight Management & Control.
Reduce the amount of food
To carry out this research, the scientists asked 61 people to count precisely the number of daily bites, that is, the number of times they put food or drink (other than water) in their mouths. ). Of the 61 participants, 41 people then reduced the number of bites by 20 to 30% for a month. Result: over this period, they lost an average of 1.8 kg, which corresponds to the standard of “healthy and reasonable” weight loss according to the American Center for Disease Control (CDC). “This study confirms what we already knew: eating less food makes a difference“said John West, principal author of this work.”We don’t advise people to starve, just to eat a little less as usual“he also specifies.
So, according to this study, if you want to lose weight you should first and foremost be interested in the quantity of food rather than its quality. This statement is not revolutionary but serves as a reminder that a diet healthy and efficient can stay balance, and keep on the menu sugars and fats that our body needs on a daily basis.
An app for counting bites
The main difficulty with this diet, which relies on the number of bites, is precisely … to count them. This is why the authors of the study announced that they had requested the help of the IT department of their university to develop an application soon available on Android and iPhone that will help participants perform this calculation. The authors of the study hope to offer an effective and inexpensive solution to the 70% of Americans who are in overweight.
More simply, try to reduce the amount of food on your plate by serving yourself less or … to change plates ! Indeed, it seems that we tend to eat more when the food is served in a larger dish.
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