Daring, Exotic Diet The Key to Weight Loss? Research Says Yes

• comments
• 
• 

Weight loss diet plans are usually done with a nutritious but restrictive diet, however, a study suggested that people with more adventurous eating palettes could get better weight loss results. They could also have an overall healthier lifestyle.

Researchers in the study published on Social Science Research Network  looked into the eating habits and lifestyle of 500 women participants and saw that those who have tasted exotic foods like Kimchi, beef tongue, polenta, seitan and rabbit reflected lower body mass index and were more mindful of their food choices. These women were also doing physical activities more often than those who make safer food choices and they had a better grasp of their social life by having constant dinners with friends.

"These findings are important to dieters because they show that promoting adventurous eating may provide a way for people - especially women - to lose or maintain weight without feeling restricted by a strict diet," said study co-author Brian Wansik via Health. He offered a suggestion to foodies by saying, "Instead of sticking with the same boring salad, start by adding something new. It could kick start a more novel, fun and healthy life of food adventure."

Adding something new to one's diet doesn't have to happen often and it also doesn't have to cost a lot of money, but occasional changes can "shake things up a little bit," Wansik added.

The expert is also the author of "Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think," which tackles how eating can be best enjoyed by those watching their diet if they are encouraged to use their imagination. Wansik suggested that people sometimes get more satisfaction from their food if these come with exotic-sounding name or creative descriptions. Even if they are eating a very simple dish, the experience becomes more exciting because the food's name lets the foodie imagine more from it, per Yahoo!

If tasting exotic dishes isn't up to your taste, diet expert Leslie Bonci suggested making small changes to how you eat. For starters, putting your gadgets down while having a meal is a great way to experience your food. "When you do that, you are much more in tune with what you are doing because you are paying more attention to what you are eating," said Bonci via Today.

Like Wansik, Bonci doesn't think a person's adventure with food has to be over the top. "So many times people have overly complicated things they do when they are making [dietary] changes," said Bonci. "Everything doesn't have to be complicated to be effective."