Updated on August 17, 2023.
If you are working toward a weight loss goal, here’s a tip that may help: Eat until your stomach is 80 percent full.
This strategy comes from Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones and is inspired by the people of Okinawa, Japan, who are some of the healthiest and longest-living people in the world.
Tips to try
Here are five simple tips that Buettner says can help you stop eating at the appropriate time.
Get new glasses
Choose tall and narrow over short and wide drinking glasses. You'll drink 25 to 30 percent less. Use smaller plates and bowls as well. When you load them up, even small and moderate portions appear larger.
Leave food in the kitchen
Family-style meals—with heaping plates and bowls laid out on the dining table—are fun and festive. But people who serve themselves from the kitchen counter, then walk away, leaving the food out of sight in the kitchen, eat about 14 percent less.
Supersize with your eyes
Eat less and feel fuller by making your food look bigger. Use about half the normal amount of meat when making hamburger patties and pump up the remaining volume with a healthy grain like quinoa. Then pile on low-calorie toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, and onions to make your burger appear more sizeable than it really is.
Sit down to eat
Do away with eating on the go, in the car or while watching TV. Sit down and really pay attention to your food. When you are mindful of each bite you take, savoring the flavors and the sensation of chewing each morsel, you'll eat less and feel more satisfied—and appreciate your tasty your food really is.
Weigh in regularly
Stepping on the bathroom scale every day or on a regularl basis may help you stay on track if your goal is to manage your weight.
Talk to your healthcare provider
Remember, managing your weight is not something you have to do all alone. There are people who can help. If you are overweight or obese, talk to your healthcare provider (HCP) about a treatment plan that can help you get to a healthier weight. For many people, changes to daily habits might be enough.
Some people who are obese may need a different approach to treatment. In certain cases, a treatment plan may include weight-loss medications and/or weight-loss surgery.
In addition to your healthcare provider, dietitians, coaches, weight-loss programs, support groups, and friends who are also trying to improve their health can help you stay on track and achieve your goals.
