Looking for an easy way to eat less? According to recent research, dieters who ate an apple roughly half an hour before meals ate 15 percent less than those who ate nothing. And considering our own Bethany tried this apple method and found it to be a total piece of cake, maybe this is one slimming secret you should consider.

But eating so many apples might get old in a hurry -- want some other quick ways to curb your appetite before you tuck in? Maybe you should try having ...

• A cup of herbal tea. It's calorie-free and believe me, it can really fill you up.
• Sugarfree gum. Chewing before you eat can trick your brain into thinking you've already had a snack.
• Vegetable juice. A quick serving of V8 will calm a grumbling tummy and help you get your daily fill of veggies.
• Veggies and hummus. The fiber will fill you up for hours.
• Some other fruit. Who says you have to stick to apples? An orange, some blueberries or a mango are all delicious ways to help take the edge off your hunger without doing damage to your waistline.