I see a lot of strange things on the internet. Some days I see more strange things than useful things. Today was one of those days. I just read this article on a rock that is supposed to stop you from overeating. Yep. Just plop the rock in the center of your plate and you’ll eat less.
First, I do think, as Americans, we overeat. We just heap on the portion sizes and have done so for so long, it’s second nature. So we head to a restaurant and overeat because the plate is heaping and we’ve grown so accustomed to it, we just keep shoveling. So I get that there’s a need to curb overeating and help pair down portion sizes. BUT, I’m not sure putting a rock in the middle of my plate will get the job done. It might make me giggle, but I’m skeptical about it’s success rate. Because, well, YOU ARE EATING WITH A ROCK ON YOUR PLATE!
The rocks are dipped in colorful, food-safe, heat-resistant silicone and are supposed to sit right in the middle of your dinner plate {or breakfast or lunch plate, too!} just occupying space. It’s supposed to work like some sort of visual trick so you believe there’s more food in front of you than there actually is. Because of that, you are supposed to be more satisfied. I’d be like, “well this looks like one hot dog, some beans and a rock.” Can’t fool me!
Seriously, if you bought this… hmmm, I think you need to have your head examined. What will they think of next?
What do you think? Would a rock deter you from overeating? Do you think it’s a pretty wild thing to spend money on {especially when you can grab a rock out of your garden for FREE}? Do you think a smaller plate would work better?
~Mavis
Lisa MTB says
Maybe the theory is that it takes up the spot where you’d put chips or a big slice of dessert (assuming you don’t just fill up your plate again)?
Lisa says
Maybe the rock is so heavy you can’t lift it to go back for seconds! lol
laura says
just use a smaller plate!
Stacey says
I’m with you!
Carolina says
I’m with Laura on this one: Just use a smaller plate, Also, everyone probably has a smaller plate right there in their kitchen (luncheon-size or even a dessert plate). Surely there is no reason to go out and BUY, as Mavis says, something you probably have in your garden. BUT, some people will buy anything, to whit, the “pet rock” craze of my childhood!!!
Jenny Young says
In the first place it’s what they’re eating…a hotdog & beans!!? Of course they aren’t losing weight.
Why not fill the whole plate with a dinner salad instead. You can have as much of that as you want without worrying about portions.
KC says
I’m on the side of “if it works for someone, it works” – using cash instead of cards is totally just a mental trick, too – there’s no change in how much the item costs or how much money you have – but hey, making it tangible *works* for some people. (and doesn’t matter for others)
I would expect that a smaller plate would work better for some people, but some people can “see” the plate size, and for them, maybe having an inedible side dish would do the trick for making them feel like it’s a full meal even though the portions are smaller – I don’t know!
That said, unless I lived in an urban area without access to nature, I’d just go for a regular rock instead of buying a Fancy Rock.
But if someone needs to lose weight, and tricking the eyes like this does work for them, the store-bought rock is still a heck of a lot cheaper than many “weight loss solutions” and definitely cheaper than the health costs of obesity – so I’d say go for it!
Tammy says
I’ve been reading the book Slim by Design by Brian Wansink (totally fascinating, as is his other book), and his suggestion to lose weight is to eat off smaller plates. You naturally dish up less and you feel like you ate more. He has a lot of study to back his findings.
I’d think the tendency for eating with a rock on your plate would be to pile food around it. Or get an even bigger plate. 😉 😛
Debbie says
Well it surely would work for me! I would be so grossed out by the dirty rock in the middle of my plate that I would have a hard time eating anything that touches it, LOL 😉 Too funny! 🙂
Marissa says
I’m in the eating off a smaller plate party. 😛 I would not spend any money on a rock in order to eat less, lol. You can get a rock for free outside! D:
Preppy Pink Crocodile says
I don’t know about the rock- that’s a first for me. But there is a good bit of evidence that simply using a smaller place {say a salad size plate for your dinner instead of a dinner size plate}- even if your portions are the same- impacts the amount you consume. You eat less because of how it visually appears. You will also feel fuller faster. Same portions- just the size of the plate. So perhaps the rock is the same theory? Takes up space? Seems like it would be easier to just use a smaller plate though…
Rajena says
LOL! This reminds me of the trick to put a rock in your pets food bowl to slow their eating down so they don’t make themselves sick. 😀
Pamela says
this is truly ridiculous. If someone wants to eat they will eat. Rock or not. If they have a rock and eat all the food on the plate what is to stop them from getting seconds or thirds? Same with a smaller plate.
Linda Bick says
So funny