Mind Your Own Eating

You’ve probably heard the term “mindless eating” before. Mindless eating refers to the unconscious consumption of foods and beverages which usually leads to overeating. Several studies have shown that most of us frequently engage in some level of mindless eating. Yet, according to Brian Wansink, author of the book “Mindless Eating,” the answer for mindless eating doesn’t rest on controlling everything you put in your mouth. Of course, mindfulness is a good habit to nurture, but let’s face the fact that it is just too hard to maintain awareness at every single moment of our life. Imagine the monstrous amount of energy you’d have to put into your daily choices to practice mindfulness. Thus, instead of trying to be part of the “food police,” you could simply tweak the environment around you in order to favor better food choices.

Amazingly, our environment plays a major role in our decisions about food. Several studies[1] have shown that when you are surrounded by processed foods, restaurant take-outs, and vending-machine goods, those are the foods you’ll be more likely to consume. No wonder more than half of the American population is overweight or obese. In the U.S., we are submerged in gigantic portions of super-processed foods.

Fortunately, this doesn’t mean that you are condemned to eat junk food for the rest of your life. The same behavioral research points out that if you make small changes in your environment, you will mindlessly eat healthier. Let’s check out a few tips that can help you get in control of your waistline.

• Bigger packages equal bigger portions. Yes, the U.S. is definitely the land of plenty, as you can see by the size of the food packages. I recall the first time I went to a supermarket here (I’m originally from Brazil).  I was astonished by the size of the ready-to-eat cereal boxes. They were at least three times larger than the ones I used to buy in Brazil. The problem is that when you get food from a large container, you unconsciously pour more. And if you pour more, you eat more. It’s that simple. Possible solutions for this issue could be purchasing smaller packages (if you can find them) or dividing the contents of large packages into smaller containers. This way, you are tricking your brain into believing that you have less available, which helps you to consume smaller portions.
• Using large plates makes you eat more. The same way bigger packages lead us to oversize our portions, large plates, bowls, and glasses induce us to consume more. This happens because a large plate makes the food portion seem smaller, which could lead you to serve more. Using smaller dishware, on the other hand, creates the illusion of a fuller plate. Thus, it is easier to control the size of your portions (and the amount of food you are consuming, for that matter) when using smaller plates. Go ahead! Switch your dishes to smaller ones.
• You eat what you see. Have you ever heard of the “see food” diet? That’s when you eat whatever you see, and believe me, it is more common than you think. The truth is that if you keep candies, cookies, and chips in your pantry (even if it is just for the kids), you will end up eating them at some point. This usually happens when you are sad, stressed, bored, too tired to cook, or starving, meaning that it is just a matter of time. So, yes, you could do a pantry makeover and get rid of every item you don’t want to get caught eating. More realistically, you can “hide” these items (remember: out of sight, out of mind) in the back of the pantry or make those foods “inconvenient” (such as putting them on a hard-to-reach shelf or in the basement). Moreover, you should surround yourself with convenient healthy options. An example would be putting fresh fruits and vegetables washed, precut, and ready-to-eat in clear containers on an eye-level shelf of your fridge. Keep in mind that if you see healthy foods, you’ll eat healthy foods.
• Beware of variety. Variety is one of the best ways to obtain all the nutrients you need in your diet. However, when variety means having a huge selection of not-so-healthy buffet options, it can doom your efforts to stay lean. The problem is that when we are presented with too many options, we tend to take a little of everything and end up with a plate that resembles Mount Kilimanjaro. So, to avoid putting too much food on your plate, browse around first, and then choose a few items you really want to eat. Planning beforehand gives you time to make smarter choices. (Do I really want that fried spring roll? It seems a little too greasy. No, I think I’ll pass.) Also, keep in mind a simple rule for a balanced meal: fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables and reserve the other half for grains and protein sources.

These small adjustments can help you form better eating behaviors without making you feel deprived. Keep in mind that the best diet is the one you don’t know you are on.