Brain Wansink, PhD, is a researcher and food psychologist that has studied why we eat what we eat for many years. One of his famous studies involves people eating popcorn in a movie theatre; he found that the bigger the box of popcorn, the more the participants ate, even when the popcorn tasted stale. Another study of his found that when employees kept bowls of M&Ms on their desks, within arms reach, they ate far more than if the bowl was a few feet away, so the person had to actually get up to eat them. Interestingly the more colorful the M&Ms, the more they ate as well (as opposed to just one color of candy) — variety can encourage us to eat more. Dr. Wansink wrote a book called “Mindless Eating” that discusses the many external and psychological influences on the foods we eat each day. According to his study we make over 200 food decisions each day and these decisions certainly impact our ability to maintain or lose weight. Based on his many years of research, here is what Dr. Wansink says in the book:
Chapter One: Think 20 Percent — More or Less. Put 20% less on the plate at the start of a meal since most studies show people can eat 20% less without noticing.
Chapter Two: See All You Eat. Pre-plate food instead of taking little bites and eating directly out of large packages to help reduce consumption by 14%.
Chapter Three: Be Your Own Tablescaper. Decrease the amount of food eaten by at least 15% just by downsizing the plate, glasses, and silverware.
Chapter Four: Make Overeating a Hassel, Not a Habit. Store junk food farther away, covered or hidden, and make it inconvenient in order to eat less.
Chapter Five: Create Distraction-Free Eating Scripts. Rethink behaviors in the five most common diet danger zones — dinners, snacks, parties, restaurants, and desks/dashboards. Also learn to use good distractions to help prevent snacking as well as avoid bad distractions that prevent stopping.
Chapter Six: Create Expectations That Make You a Better Cook. Add two positive, descriptive words before a healthy home-cooked meal to make it taste more delicious. Incorporate soft lighting, music and color, and nice plates, tablecloth, and glasses to turn nutritious and ordinary into delicious and extraordinary.
Chapter Seven: Make Comfort Food More Comforting. Recondition the palate to more healthful and portion-controlled comfort foods by pairing the better-for-you version with positive events.
Chapter Eight: Crown Yourself as the Official Gatekeeper. Shop smart at the grocery store since the person who shops and prepares food the most controls 72% of what a family eats.
Chapter Nine: Portion Size Me. Beware of portions especially of healthful foods since most people eat 21% more if they think what they are eating is healthful instead of fattening.
Chapter Ten reviews the importance of three small changes a day instead of a dramatic diet overhaul.
The advice in Mindless Eating is scientifically based and makes a lot of sense. Becoming aware of these external cues can help you gain control over your eating and ultimately fit back into your pre-mommy jeans. Dr. Wansink’s research falls right in line with our recommendations from The Baby Fat Diet, so pick up a copy of both books and you’ll be well on your way to a healthier, slimmer you.
Tags: baby fat diet, eat less, external cues, Mindless Eating, Wansink
