There are many reasons why Americans overeat, but it certainly is a major concern. Obesity is at its highest rate ever and it is now affecting younger and younger children.
Since eating is for fueling our bodies' energy needs and supplying nutrients, when we overeat, we are filling a very different need. Identifying our triggers, visual, emotional, physical or environmental, is the first step in breaking the overeating cycle.
Brian Wansink, PhD., of Cornell, performed many studies in his food lab that shed light on our eating patterns and behaviors. We can use these results to assist us with stopping our long-developed patterns of overeating.
1. Keep your environment success-ready: When it is inconvenient to eat something, we are less likely to mindlessly reach for it. Put all snack/junk food away in the pantry, in the back, in opaque containers. Freeze leftover pies, cookies, etc. in individual-sized containers or freezer baggies. Have the foods you want to eat on the front shelves of the fridge and pantry. Plate your food in the kitchen and bring only what you plan to eat to the dinner table. The only exception is a big bowl of salad on the table.
2. Use smaller plates: We use visual cues to determine how much to eat, rather than our how full we feel. The portion sizes have grown over the years... super-size anyone? Rather than the large dinner plate, try a lunch plate. If you look at the size of our great-grandmother's china, the dinner plates were considerably smaller... and so were the people of that time.
3. The most important one- mindless eating: When you are distracted by TV, reading, computer, driving or any activity, your focus is not on the pleasure and enjoyment of your meal, making overeating so much easier. Take the time to sit down, focus on the sight, smell, texture and delightful taste of each bite.
Go slowly, one step at a time. Remember that it takes your brain 20 minutes to register that you are full. So sit back, chew well and savor each bite.
Jan Hempstead
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