Brian Wansink has written a wonderful book called Mindless Eating that explains several principles related to Americans’ eating habits. I’m sure you know there are many things that influence our eating behaviors – our family and friends, our emotions, and even our surroundings. Dr. Wansink helps demystify some of the tactics that retailers use to feed those behaviors (that pun was kind of intended!) without us even knowing it.
One of the first things he talks about is the “mindless margin”. A lot of people gain weight over time without realizing why – that handful of M&M’s you grab off your coworkers desk, the food you sample while preparing dinner, or the “bites” you steal from your significant other’s dinner (just for a taste)…all those calories add up and contribute to this mindless margin.
But Wansink turns it around: if you can gain weight from mindless eating, it seems you could lose it with mindless deprivation. Even though “deprivation” is a scary word for some, mindless deprivation means you don’t even realize you’re eating less. As Wansink notes, you may not be able to go from 2000 calories a day to 1000 without feeling hungry or even lightheaded, but you could probably go from 2000 to 1900 or 1850 without realizing the difference.
So, give it a try! Serve yourself a little less at meals, skip the second cookie in the afternoon, and take a different path to the printer at work so you don’t unconsciously grab from your coworkers candy dish. Over time, you’ll see that mindless deprivation can work in your favor!
The book is full of great points and healthy behavioral strategies for combating overeating and managing weight gain. To get you started, consider mindless deprivation as you reflect on this:
“Americans stop eating when they’re full, those in leaner cultures stop when they’re no longer hungry.” (p. 34)
A few thoughtful actions can make a big difference over time. Don’t aim for feeling full. Be more conscious as you go about your day – not with the goal of starvation or rigid rules – but to keep your food and activity at the forefront of your mind.
Let me know what you notice and what you are able to “mindlessly” avoid…
- Dr. Z Labels: Mindless Eating
|
