A new finding from researchers at Cornell University suggests that the secret to a successful diet can lie in changing your surroundings. Whether this involves using smaller plates, keeping "seconds" out of immediate reach, or hiding the chocolate, altering the food environment helps people lose more weight than trying to change eating habits or food choices, the researchers found.

"These types of changes are much easier to follow than saying you will eat smaller meals, substitute fruit for sweets, or give up chocolate and French fries," said Brian Wansink, the study's lead researcher and author of "Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think" (Bantam, 2007), in a statement.

And changes that are followed consistently can make a real impact on a person's weight, Wansink said.

The study was presented at the 2010 Experimental Biology conference in Anaheim, Calif.