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Motivate yourself with a small prize after every meal to encourage adults and kids to make healthier food choices and consume smaller portions, said a new study that revealed how surprise incentives stimulate the same reward center of your brain as the food. Researchers from the University of Arizona and University of Southern California in US suggest that offering a small prize with a meal can inspire kids and adults to pick smaller portions. As per fMRI (Functional magnetic resonance imaging) studies, the brain responds to a gift, lottery ticket or a small toy the same way it does to mouthwatering pizza or a burger, reported Business Standard

The researchers conducted series of experiments that revealed how majority of adults of children preferred to choose half-sized portion when it was linked to a monetary prize or a toy over a full-sized portion without a toy or a prize. The study findings suggested that people were much likelier to choose smaller meals if they had a chance to win USD 10 lottery, than to get a guaranteed reward. The premiums in the study included chance to win between $10 and $100. "The fact that participants were willing to substitute part of a tangible food item for the mere prospect of a relatively small monetary premium is intriguing," said Martin Reimann from the University of Arizona. The results of the study showed that when the non-food related premium was combined with half sized portion, the similar areas of the brain were activated as the one with a full-sized portion. People were more motivated to pick half a burger or pizza even if they were hungrier and didn't compensate for it by binge eating later, as reported by India Today.