WEIGHT LOSS TRICKS

***FACT OR FICTION: FOUR WEIGHT LOSS TRICKS***

It's hard to lose weight, and we're all constantly on the lookout for easier ways to shed some extra pounds. So, researchers recently tested four common weight loss tricks to find out what works and what doesn't. Here's what they came up with . . .

#1.) CHEWING GUM . . . FICTION. A lot of people think that chewing gum will distract them from thinking about food. But people who chewed more gum actually GAINED weight . . . one pound per month on average.

--The reason? For some people, chewing gum excites their taste buds and makes them crave food. But chewing gum also activates the salivating process in your mouth, which triggers the beginning of your digestion process . . . whether you've eaten anything or not.

#2.) USING SMALLER PLATES . . . FACT. People who down-sized their dishes actually LOST TWO POUNDS on average. And they didn't have to switch to TEA SAUCERS to see the effect.

--Just switching from 12-inch plates to 10-inch plates helped them eat 15-20% less, which translates to about 400 calories per day.

#3.) NEVER CLEANING YOUR PLATE . . . FACT. People who always left something on their plates LOST an average of TWO POUNDS per month. Even if that "something" was just two or three bites' worth, it still discouraged them from pigging out.

#4.) ALWAYS EATING A HOT BREAKFAST . . . FICTION. People who started each day with a hot meal actually GAINED ONE POUND per month . . . mostly because they tended to eat bacon, eggs and pancakes instead of healthier options like oatmeal. (NeverSayDiet.com)