There’s a conspiracy to trick you into eating more. Everything from efficient busboys (clearing the table so you forget how much you’ve eaten) to “family-size” bags of chips goads us into stuffing our faces. Fortunately, the illusion works both ways. Use small bowls and spoons You will serve yourself less food and eat less. Cornell [...]

This is both obvious and tricky. The obvious: Avoid soda, juice, sweetened teas and coffees, sugary cereals, and candy. The tricky: Sugar lurks in many processed foods, like crackers and flavored yogurt. Try an experiment For 1 month, avoid any sugar unless it naturally occurs in a food (like the kind in milk or fruit). [...]

Fiber can rev your fat burn by as much as 30%. People who eat the most fiber gain the least amount of weight over time. Fiber requires extra chewing and slows the absorption of nutrients in your stomach, so you feel full even though you haven’t stuffed yourself. You’ll also stay satisfied on fewer calories. [...]