Easy and efficient weight loss methods: slow eating, the habit of drinking soup at lunch, and classic beauty-conscious dieting strategies.

Go shopping twice a week. Lose 1.0-1.5 kg per year. Hang washed clothes on a line every other day (without using a dryer). Lose 1.5 kg per year. Wash one meal's worth of dishes every day. Lose 0.5 kg per year. Any dieting method, besides reducing daily food intake, must also consider nutritional balance. Top researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have discovered a weight loss method that doesn't require dieting. Simply drink soup four times a week with lunch and change your diet to include high-calorie foods like pasta, French fries, ice cream, or scallion pancakes every day, and you can still lose 1.8-2.3 kg per month.

Dr. Jordan said, "The biggest advantage of this weight loss program is that you only need to change the way you eat, not the content of your diet." Researchers studied 517 overweight patients over two years and unexpectedly found that those who drank soup with lunch every week and ate slowly and chewed their food thoroughly consistently lost weight, even though their diet and exercise remained unchanged. Even better, the weight loss achieved by the participants over the two years was not reversed. Dr. Leviz, the psychologist who assisted in the experiment, explained the reason: "People who drink soup with lunch absorb a smaller total amount of calories."

Furthermore, researchers discovered that drinking soup has a "side effect": drinking a bowl of soup at lunchtime can reduce food intake at dinner. Dr. Jordan said, "Drinking soup at lunchtime reduces not only the calories at lunch, but the calories throughout the day, and even makes you eat less the next day. We don't know why this happens, but it's a fact. The most important thing is the way you drink the soup. Picking up the bowl and drinking it all in two or three gulps won't have a weight-loss effect. Drink it slowly, don't lift the bowl, use a spoon to drink it slowly." Regardless of the type of soup, it can help with weight loss. Dr. Jordan said, "It's best to drink clear broth made from meat, fish, or vegetables. Generally speaking, broth is lower in calories."

The scientists participating in the study found that drinking soup more than four times a week did not increase weight loss. Researchers also asked the obese participants to change their eating habits. The main point was to eat slowly; those who eat slowly usually eat less. For example, eat an apple slowly, instead of wolfing down a plate of applesauce; eat an orange slowly, instead of gulping down a glass of orange juice. Crab and lobster are ideal seafood because you have to pick out the meat, making it impossible to eat quickly. Don't eat a plate of fish fillets; eat a whole fish. When eating fish, you can't eat too quickly because you have to remove the bones. Cut food into small pieces. Don't wolf down your food.

Put down your utensils between bites, take a sip of a non-calorie beverage, and then eat your second bite. Eat slowly, focusing on the taste and texture of the food, and don't let other things distract you. Don't eat while watching TV, and don't eat a sandwich while fixing your car. Don't save the best food for last. Eat what you like first. Then, when you're full, you're more likely to leave some food. If you can change your eating habits like this, the weight loss effect will be much better than other so-called "miracle diets." Dr. Rollo, the host of the Duke University School of Medicine's weight loss program, agrees with the theory of slow eating for weight loss. He says, "If you extend your mealtime, you'll enjoy the taste of the food more, and you won't need to eat as much."

Drinking soup and eating slowly can both reduce your food intake, which is the main reason why this weight loss method is so effective. Dr. Linus Pauling, a two-time Nobel laureate in chemistry, said that eating more foods containing Vitamin C can reduce the risk of cancer by 75%. The "Beauty Diet" was designed by Helena Robinstein, an American beauty and nutrition expert who passed away in 1965. For forty years, generations of women have maintained their beautiful appearance and slim figures using this diet. The golden rule of Ms. Robinstein's diet is: half of your daily food intake must be raw fruits and vegetables. For the other half, eat whatever you like, as long as it's not fried, and the total calories should not exceed 1200 kilocalories.

This method doesn't provide a menu. If you follow this diet, you can lose up to 1.4 kg per week without feeling hungry, as the abundant fiber in raw fruits and vegetables will keep you feeling full. Half of the diet includes: fresh apples, peaches, oranges, grapefruits, pineapples, grapes, watermelon or cantaloupe, strawberries, celery, carrots, tomatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, pumpkin, cucumbers, beets, kale, leeks, lettuce, etc., preferably eaten raw, or steamed. Do not boil them to avoid nutrient loss. The other half consists of eggs, lean beef, chicken, fish, turkey, lean pork, lamb, whole wheat bread, oatmeal, nuts, coffee, tea, skim milk, etc.

Avoid foods made with refined white flour and sugar, such as candy, cookies, and cakes. It's also best to avoid drinking water while eating. Ms. Robinstein says that raw vegetables and fruits already contain enough water. She says that following this diet can not only help you lose weight quickly but also make you feel energetic and younger. Once you reach your target weight, you can increase your food intake, but your daily calorie intake should not exceed 2500 kilocalories. Dr. Steiner, a professor of nutrition at Harvard University, says, "This is an excellent diet that maintains nutritional balance and promotes good health."