Don't eat in front of the TV it's too distracting
Changing the size of your plate could help you to lose up to 2lb in a month.
Small changes like this and choosing a different place to eat, other than in front of the TV, could help you to shift those extra pounds.
A number of studies found that these lifestyle changes can help you to lose weight, without even realising it.
Researcher Dr Brian Wansink explained that one study looked at eating patterns when in the cinema. They found that people ate 45 per cent more popcorn from the larger containers, compared with the smaller ones.
This is quite shocking when we've recently been told that a medium portions of popcorn can contain up to 1,260 calories, which is more than a Big Mac and fries. They also have 79.6g of fat, more than the total recemmended daily intake for women and three quarters of the maximum recommended for men.
Another study also found that children given a 16-ounce cereal bowl were more likely to have a second serving than those given a bowl half the size.
Dr Wansink told an American Pshchological Association convention that in one study, people lost up to 2lb a month simply by making changes such as using salad plates rather than dinner plates, keeping unhealthy foods out of sight and not eating in front of the television.
"They just don't realise they're doing it," he says.
"Our homes are filled with hidden eating traps.
"Most os us have too much chaos going on in our lives to consciously focus on every bite we eat, and then ask ourselves if we're full.
"The secret is to change your environment so it works for you rather than against you."
Dr Wansink advises to not rely on your stomach to tell you when you're full: "It can lie."
Femalefirst Taryn Davies