Apparently, the key to Kelly Osbourne’s recent weight loss isn’t what she eats—it’s how she eats it. An anonymous source told Now magazine that the reality star is staying thin by eating only from plates that contrast with the color of her food.
“She takes her plates everywhere. Unlike other fads, Kelly says this diet does help you lose weight and keep it off,” said the source.
While this B.Y.O. plate diet may seem too strange to be true, there is actually some pretty compelling science to explain how plate color can impact how much you eat (and in turn, weigh). A well-documented optical illusion theory called the Delboef illusion is the key, says Koert Van Ittersum, associate professor of marketing at Georgia Institute of Technology and author of numerous studies that explore how perception influences eating behavior. The Delboeuf illusion occurs when the perceived size of a circle–or in this case, serving size of food–is dependent on the size of the circle that surrounds it—in this case, a plate. As Osbourne has found, color contrast can amplify this illusion.
“Our brains play a little trick on us and try to combine both circles into one piece of information,” says Van Ittersum. The result? The same size serving can appear smaller or larger based on the size and color of the plate, affecting how much food we serve ourselves. Check it out for yourself:
Set the Table to Curb Your Consumption
Play these five mind games on your tummy to help shrink it.
Take a taller tumbler. When researchers asked 198 college students and 86 bartenders to pour a 1.5 oz shot of alcohol without measuring, they found that even experienced bartenders poured 20.5% more into short, wide glasses than tall, slender ones, according to a 2005 study published in the journal BMJ. When serving yourself a cocktail or other sugar-laden liquids such as juice or regular soda, use a taller glass to trick your brain into pouring less and you’ll painlessly slurp down fewer calories.
Downsize your dishes. In a 2003 study published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 85 nutrition experts who were given large bowls at an ice cream social unknowingly served themselves 31% more ice cream than those given smaller bowls. To avoid accidentally serving yourself a super-sized portion, use small plates and bowls. The best part: your stomach won’t even know the difference. The same study found that adults who served themselves cereal in smaller bowls thought they’d consumed 28% more cereal than they actually ate.
On a small plate, match your food. Contrary to Osbourne’s bright idea to eat foods that contrast with the color of her plate, Van Ittersum recommends matching the food to the plate–but only once you’ve downsized. When researchers asked adults to serve themselves white cereal on a small white plate, they served themselves smaller portions than the adults who poured dark-colored cereal on the same plates, according to a 2011 study published in Journal of Consumer Research.
Stuck with a large plate? Make your portion pop. When participants of the 2011 study were given white plates, they served themselves more white-sauce pasta than they did when given red plates. When eating off a large plate, make sure it contrasts with the color of your food to trick yourself into serving–and eating–less.
Coordinate your tableware and tablecloth. According to Van Ittersum, using like-colored linens can camouflage the edge of the plate, reducing the optical illusion so you can see your food serving for what it is, instead of comparing it to the size of the plate.
More from WH:
Weight Loss Tips that Don’t Suck
Delicious Dessert Recipes for Weight Loss
12 Flat-Belly Foods
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