Want to eat healthy? Sit by a window in a restaurant

A new book has revealed that where one sits in a restaurant has a serious effect on their waistline. According to Professor Brian Wansink, director of Cornell’s Food and Brand Lab, people order healthier foods if they sit by a window or in a well-lit area, while people at uncomfortable high-top tables favour salads and buy fewer desserts, since it’s harder to slouch or spread out, the New York Post reported.

In his book ‘Slim By Design’, Wansink wrote that seeing the sunlight, people or trees outside might make people more conscious of how they look, might make them think about walking or might prompt a green salad and it was also found that conspicuous consumption, or eating in an area that other diners can see them, seems to curtail overeating. 

The book also revealed that those farthest from the door eat the fewest salads and are 73 percent more likely to order dessert. People at darkly-lit tables or booths eat fattier foods, while diners within two tables of the bar drink on average three more beers or mixed drinks (per tables of four) than a group just one table farther away and if one is nearer to a TV, then they are likelier to consume more fried food.

Wansink added that also the darker it is, the more ‘invisible’ people might feel, the less easy it is to see how much they are eating and the less conspicuous or guilty they might feel.

Here are some tips to lose weight

Work out regularly

There are no two ways about it! You want to lose weight, you need to get moving. You haven’t piled on the kilos in one day so it will take regular efforts from your end to lose your flab. The kind of workout method to pick to fulfil this task is up to you. It can be the traditional way of joining a gym where you do a mix of cardio and weight training, it can be something holistic like yoga or other, newer methods such as Zumba, kick-boxing, etc. You can also opt for the slow and steady – walking, jogging, and more. But whatever you pick, make sure you do it regularly so as to see good results.

Monitor your diet

Ask any nutritionist or fitness professional and they will tell you how important it is to monitor what you eat if you want effective weight loss. In fact, diet plays a 70% role in determining how much we lose! It is therefore essential you give it the importance it deserves. An hour of workout does not entitle you to eat a chocolate brownie or cheesy pasta. Have a low-cal version of what you like and avoid junk food.

Do not starve yourself

This is perhaps the worst weight loss tip you could come across. Starving yourself will not do your body any good. On the contrary, it will hamper your weight loss efforts by slowing down your metabolism and making your body store more fat. Eating every few hours is a good way to lose weight but the portion size needs to be smaller than your regular meals. Read more about How to lose weight

With inputs from ANI

Photo source: Getty images

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