Think Yourself Thin

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When that bag of potato chips comes calling, close your eyes and visualize eating 30 of them—the crunch, the salt, the greasy texture. Chances are you won't end up scarfing down nearly as many as usual. Carnegie Mellon researchers found that when people imagined (in detail) eating 30 M&M's or cheese cubes, they were less likely to gorge on the real thing.

"Your brain gets used to a food stimulus after a number of bites," says study author Carey Morewedge, PhD. "Even if some of those bites are imaginary, taking a lot of them seems to reduce your desire to continue eating."

This technique doesn't only help you avoid junk food—you can also use it before meals to help you slow down, pay attention to when you're feeling full and not overeat.

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