FOUND! 8 NO-DIET SLIM SECRETS

1. GO LEFT- HANDED

If you bolt down dinner and still feel hungry five minutes later, there's a good reason. "It takes 20 minutes for your brain to register your stomach is full," points out Marisa Peer, food psychologist and author of Ultimate Confidence (Sphere, £10.99). "That's one of the reasons toddlers never finish anything - they eat so slowly, they feel full halfway through." So next time you fancy a slice of cheesecake, eat it with your left hand (if you're right-handed, obviously) to slow you down. You'll feel stuffed long before you've finished your portion.

2. SIT UP STRAIGHT

Remember when your mum told you not to slouch at the table? It could be one of the best weight-loss mantras ever. "Sitting upright at the table allows food to reach your stomach more quickly," points out Rebecca. "This means your brain will register that you're full more quickly than if you sit hunched over your plate, saving you valuable calories."

3. SMELL, TASTE THEN EAT

At last, the secret to not inhaling whole bars of Dairy Milk in one go: "The more you stimulate your senses when you eat, the fuller you'll feel," explains Rebecca Amey, nutritionist for Ultimate Boot Camp (Ultimatebootcamp.co.uk). "Next time you need a chocolate fix, hold your nose and place a piece on your tongue. Explore the taste and texture for a full 30 seconds before you chew and swallow. As the chocolate melts in the mouth, you'll be hit with an intense aroma and flavour that will leave you feeling satisfied after just one or two pieces. This trick should work with all your favourite foods - try it with ice cream, too

4. EAT UPSIDE DOWN

There's no such thing as 'bad' foods, just bad portions, says nutritional therapist Sanna Anderson (Thenutritioncoach.co.uk). "The trick is to get the balance right - so turn your favourite meals on their heads," she says. "When you're eating spag bol, for example, instead of piling up your plate with two thirds pasta and a third Bolognese, do it the other way round, so you have more protein-rich sauce than stodgy carbs. Do the same with curry and rice, or chilli and jacket potato. You'll feel fuller for longer and consume fewer calories." Genius!

5. DRINK BEFORE YOU EAT

Drink before you eat Women who drink six to eight glasses of water a day consume 194 fewer calories, regardless of what they eat, according to a study published in the journal Obesity Research. "Water distends the stomach, leaving you feeling full and less likely to overeat," explains nutritionist Dr Carrie Ruxton. In other words, knock back a glass of H2O 15 minutes before you tuck into your pizza and you might even leave a few slices!

6. START WITH SALAD

"If you want to shed pounds, don't have salad on the side - make it your starter. Research from Pennsylvania State University found women who munched lettuce before their main course consumed 12 per cent fewer calories. "Starting your meal with a plate of salad helps take the edge off your hunger," points out diet psychotherapist Mandy Cassidy. "So when you do get to your main course, you'll probably feel full after a smaller portion."

7. MUNCH ALL DAY

Forget cigarettes, the ultimate appetite suppressant is - wait for it - eating! "People mistakenly believe that if their stomach is rumbling it's a good sign that their diet's working," says Zoe Hellman, dietician for the new WeightWatchers Discover Plan. "In actual fact, letting yourself get hungry just makes you more likely to splurge when you do eat - it's a basic survival instinct. The trick is to munch at regular intervals so you don't get ravenous in the first place. Whether that's five small meals throughout the day or a snack mid-morning and afternoon, you'll find you naturally eat less."

8. STOP LOOKING AT FOOD

Turns out it's not our bottomless bellies that are to blame for our penchant for second helpings, but our eyes. "Vision is a huge appetite stimulant," explains Marisa Peer. "Studies show we eat 50 per cent more if food is left within our field of vision. So next time you have a Chinese takeaway, dish up your plate in the kitchen rather than leaving containers in tantalising view on the table in your dining room."

• BODY & SOUL

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