More from Prevention.com: The Instant Way To Improve Your Willpower
The results didn’t surprise Dr. Papies. In 2010, she studied the reactions of 156 customers in a butcher shop where a recipe poster—called “good for a slim figure”—was placed on the door. Customers identified as restrained eaters (chronic dieters) binged on free meatballs when the poster was absent. But in the presence of the poster, they ate fewer meatballs.
So does it really just take a word to save your diet? Dr. Papies thinks so. Here are three easy tips to keeping your diet on track through the power of words:
Prime yourself. Some of the best words to focus on are “slim,” “healthy,” “fit,” “weight,” and “slim figure,” Dr. Papies says.
Target temptation. If you’re feeling tempted, break out the fat-fighting vocab. “Put them in your calendar so you see them before you head for lunch,” Dr. Papies recommends. Same for late-night cravings: Jot those words on a Post-It and stick them in plain sight of temptation—i.e., the drawer where you stash the candy you always buy. (Find more ways to handle temptation with Easy Ways To Stick To Your Diet.)
Choose wisely. Healthy eating doesn’t mean choosing between a Twinkie and nothing. “Be sure to have alternatives available,” Dr. Papies says. Stock really nice organic tea or an exotic piece of fruit as an indulgent alternative.
