1:06pm UK, Thursday April 24, 2008
Dieting really could be a question of mind over matter, if scientists are to be believed.
Look back in hunger
It may be possible to "think" yourself thin simply by focusing on a recent meal instead of reaching out for the next bar of chocolate or savoury snack.
A "mind over munchies" study suggests that thinking about a previous breakfast, lunch or dinner can suppress the appetite and prevent weight gain.
But simply thinking of food - as opposed to a meal - is not thought to have the same effect.
In fact, it can make people hungrier, especially if they are dieting.
UK researchers at University of Birmingham asked female students to take part in a bogus biscuit taste test, the real purpose of which was hidden from them.
Just before the test, half the women were encouraged to write a detailed description of a lunch given to them earlier while the rest were asked to write an account of their journey to the university campus.
After the taste test the volunteers were invited to eat their fill of the remaining biscuits.
Those who had recalled their lunch ate fewer biscuits than those who had recalled their journey.
The effect increased with the amount of time that elapsed between having lunch and eating the biscuits.
One hour made little difference but volunteers who wrote about their lunch three hours later had much less of an appetite than those who did not.
Dr Suzanne Higgs, who led the research, suggests that the memory of the meal is enough to calm appetite for all women within an hour of eating but fading memory later meant they had to conjure up the image to feel fuller.
The key point of the experiment was that the women were asked to think about a specific meal rather than food in general, she emphasised, adding that thinking about food in general could actually increase appetite.
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22nd July 2008, 11:22 am
wish they would create something that would make me lose weight quickly without all the hard work lol xx