Red dishes as a way to eat less food, lose weight?

So here's another interesting study that I highlight here because it has to do with color, and of course, at ColorCodeMode.com we are all about color.

I'm just not sure of this study's overall value in the battle against obesity.

Apparently people consume fewer calories when eating off red-colored dishes because red implies "stop."

There could be other reasons a person would eat less off a red plate.

As someone who is sensitive to color combinations, I'm guessing food doesn't look particularly appetizing on a red plate (think brownish-pinkish steak, or spaghetti, or salmon, or any food with reds or pinks that might look a little "off" against the red of the plate.)

And if the "stop" theory is valid, shouldn't one eat more from a green plate (since green implies "go")?

Apparently they didn't test that.

White plates induced the highest intake of calories, according to the study. Then blue plates.

Of course, I eat off blue and white plates.That explains things a bit...

Strolling through the china department of a retail store, how many sets of red dishes do you see? Not many. Not that I would invest in red dishes anyway for the sake of testing a theory.

But my grocery store carries some relatively inexpensive, garish red plastic plates, which might make it practical for me to test out the theory. (Although the fact I'd be eating off plastic plates might also cause me to eat less, so there goes the validity of the test.)

Eating off red plates is something that would be easy to track in either the Streaming Colors Fitness Journals or the Lean Mode Food Diary. You could even use one of the red highlighters in the Zazzle Brights 10-pack we sell in our online shop. (Not many highlighter sets have an actual red pen.) Zazzle Brights red highlighter is actually a bit more cherry red than shown here

If you decide to track it, let us know how it goes.

If you really wanted to eat less, while you dined you could stare at this photo of a carpet pattern that within five minutes induces seasickness.

Sorry I can't show it here because it makes me sick to look at it—in less than five minutes. Just thinking about it makes me queasy. But then, I am really sensitive to motion sickness.

Apparently your brain picks up a sense of motion from the vibrating moire pattern created by strongly contrasting colors intersecting at weird angles.

Maybe for the next study someone could print one of those black and white moire patterns onto a dinner plate, with a big splotch of red for good measure.

Wait a minute. I think stores sold those plates in the sixties, probably out of Melamine, when op art was trendy.

Don't make me go back there. I never liked those dishes. 

(Then again, people were a lot skinnier.)

There are probably lots of things we could do to put the skids on our enjoyment of eating, but would we actually go through with it? The whole idea runs counter to the philosophy of savoring everything about the experience of dining with our friends and family.

How about this? Instead of worrying about the color of our plates, we could end the subsidies for fat-inducing high-fructose corn syrup, and instead subsidize the more costly but colorful, nutritious fruits (like cherries, for example) that should make up a much larger portion of our diet.

That would help put a healthy spot of color on more American families' plates — no matter what color plate they like to use. 

skyr - icelandic yogurt

What is skyr? It's Icelandic yogurt. Just like regular yogurt, only thicker, and very high in protein. I read about it in this article on MSN. Apparently Skyr has about 16 grams of protein per 6 oz. compared to my Brown Cow yogurt (which I love) which usually has about 5 or 6 grams of protein per 6 oz. Does that matter? I don't know. I suspect you'd feel fuller longer by consuming more protein. But what I really want to know, is does it taste good? I'm a big fan of yogurt. So I'm a little picky about it. I don't like anything with artificial sweeteners, or anything that's overly gelatinous. Yogurt should be smooth and creamy. Like Brown Cow from Antioch, CA:

Not only is Brown Cow yummy. It's the only yogurt with a website that has a talking cow, named Lily, who will greet you (while wearing a diamond tiara) when you enter the site. Too funny! This is also one of my favorites:

 

Fage (fah-yeh) Total greek yogurt. It's the best! It's soooo rich and creamy. I have two favorite concoctions I like to make at home. I'll share them both.

Banana Bliss (I made that up, just now actually. Because really, I usually just call it breakfast.)

-1/2 cup Fage greek yogurt (usually 1%)

-1 small banana, sliced

-walnuts, sliced, (about 8, or sometimes I use pecans)

-1 tsp. of honey (for taste)

-a dash of stevia (if you want it to be even sweeter)

-1/4 cup of blueberries (optional)

This makes the yummiest breakfast or snack. It's such a treat, and it's totally healthy.

My other concoction is pretty simple:

-1/2 cup Fage greek yogurt (usually 1%)

-1/2 cup frozen mixed berries

-dash of stevia

If you don't let the berries thaw out a little bit this one gets really frosty and thick, sort of like frozen yogurt. But you don't want to put honey in it, because it won't blend well if it's cold. 

I must admit, this is the most thought I've ever given to yogurt in my entire life. Probably won't need to post on this again. Ever. So, if you haven't tried Fage Greek Yogurt you should give it a shot. And for the truly adventurous, this Siggi's Icelandic Skyr sounds like it could be a real treat! Now if I can only find it on the west coast...

eat this, not that! for kids!

usatoday.com published an article about this new book by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding, Eat This, Not That! For Kids! I thought the adult book was pretty good, though I didn't actually buy it because I rarely, if ever, eat fast food. I wasn't raised on it, and I just don't like it. However, I realize that loads of people eat it everyday. So, as far as helping people make healthier choices goes, this book does a pretty good job. I like all the pictures they use, visualizing the healthier choice is a good habit to create. And I think paying attention to calorie content is another good habit, because it creates awareness. What if ALL restaurants were required to post their calorie counts on their menus? Just like in NYC.  I'm hoping it will happen on a national level. What do you think?

sambazon smoothies are yummy

 If you have yet to try acai (ah-sigh-ee) you are missing out. It's a yummy fruit from Brazil that has a berry/cocoa flavor and is super loaded with healthy Omega fats, protein, and fiber. When I buy them pre-made I like the Sambazon Supergreens Revolution. They're anywhere from $2.50-$3.50 depending on what store you buy them from. However my favorite thing to do is blend my own smoothie. I use the Sambazon Pure Acai Smoothie Packs. They come in 4-packs that are about $5. It's more affordable this way, plus I figure it's better for the environment not to be purchasing individual bottles. And I like that I can control the sweetness by using stevia. 

My recipe:

-1 pack of Sambazon pure acai pulp

-1/2 cup of frozen berries (mix of raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries)

-A splash of water (to thin it out)

-Sweeten with stevia powder (or honey) to desired sweetness

You can also add any combination of fruits. My suggestions: mango, pineapple, banana, strawberries, and peaches.

This makes such a lovely & tasty smoothie. Give it a try! :-)

re-think what you drink

 I'm not a big fan of soda. No coffee either. I do drink quite a bit of tea... my fave is Jasmine Green Tea. But lately I've been trying out the GT Kombucha teas. They're made by fermenting black tea with yeast and bacteria cultures, which makes them slightly carbonated. Sounds wrong, I know. But they're actually pretty good. I like the Citrus flavor the best, and the Synergy Mango ranks second. Not sure if they really are as healthful as they claim to be, but if you're up for trying something new then find out where to buy them.