FitSugar

Diet Tip: CSI Might Make You Eat More

FitSugar — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:00:00 -0700

Eating in front of the TV has never been a good idea; people tend to overeat since they are not paying attention to the simple act of eating. Distracted by the on-screen drama, they just keep putting food in their mouths. Mindless eating generally means eating more. New research out of the US and Europe indicates that morbid images from TV shows may add to this problem since they inspire overeating as well. Images and ideas from grisly crime shows evoke death-related thoughts, which inspire a heightened sense of awareness and mortality. To diminish uncomfortable thoughts about the end of life and our place in the universe, people tend to eat. And they don't just eat, they overeat to escape.

Next time you're watching CSI, keep the chips in the kitchen at an out-of-comfort range.

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Diet Tip: Keep Wrappers in Sight

FitSugar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 07:30:00 -0800

If you have an affinity for candy like I do, and you find that you chow down on candy without even knowing it, you may want to keep all those wrappers around as you eat. Recent research has found that having a visual reminder of how much we eat, keeps us honest and keeps us eating less. We see the empty wrappers piling up and register that it may be time to stop. So instead of throwing the wrappers in the trash can immediately keep them around for a visual cue to stop mindless eating.

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Minutes to a Healthier You . . .

FitSugar — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 13:30:00 -0800

It's not only the eight hours of sleep you get, or the 60 minutes you spend at the gym that help you become the healthiest you can be, but the little things that only take a few minutes, even seconds.

The best way to break the cycle of mindless eating is to stop before you eat. So before you scarf down that plate full of Oreos, take five seconds to stop and ask yourself whether you are really hungry or not. You may find out that, yes indeed, it's Oreos that you need but chances are that you're just thirsty, or bored, or stressed. Five seconds could be the difference between you eating or not eating 500 mindless calories.

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Diet Tip: Don't Eat in the Car

FitSugar — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 16:00:00 -0800

If you have a long commute to and from work, you may be tempted to eat in the car. Mindless eating can really lead to overeating but especially if you're eating in the car. If you typically stop at fast-food places and scarf it down on the way home, wait until you get home to eat or, better yet, don't stop at all and cook for yourself at home. Before you know it, you'll break the habit of eating in the car and be able to enjoy your calories elsewhere (hopefully at a dinner table).

Fit's Tip: To avoid the tempting glow of the fast-food signs, keep a healthy snack in your glove compartment for when your tummy starts to rumble.

Want more? Be sure to check out all my great diet tips.

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Diet Tip: Keep Phone Chats Out of the Kitchen

FitSugar — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 07:30:00 -0800

After hanging up from a marathon phone session with my sister a few days ago, I realized that I had somehow polished off two slices of leftover pizza, some bread and hummus and several handfuls of gummy bears - all right before dinner. Ever since then, I have decided that I should no longer talk on the phone in the kitchen.

Talking on the phone in the kitchen can lead to overeating because not only are we distracted but we're also surrounded by food, a lethal combination for someone who watches what she eats. So if you've found that you tend to eat mindlessly while talking on the phone, think about following my lead and moving your phone conversations to another room.

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Yet Another Study Confirms: Eating Mindlessly Means Eating More

FitSugar — Fri, 18 May 2007 02:30:00 -0700

Let's start with the moral of the tale, seeing is believing. If you could see the quantities of food you were consuming you would probably stop before you overindulged. Especially when you consider the fact that the stomach takes about 20 minutes of eating to register a sense of feeling full.

A recent study, published in the journal Perceptual and Motor Skills, illustrates this point brilliantly. A group of 52 graduate students (17 men and 35 women) were told they were being treated to "all you can eat chicken wings" while watching the Super Bowl. The waitresses were instructed to clear the dirty plates from only half of the tables. And...you guessed it; the folks at the tables that were cleared regularly ate more. On an average grad students at the clean tables ate 28% more wings than the grad students sitting at tables littered with chicken wing remains. So, I repeat once again, seeing is believing.

Fit's Tip: Don't eat directly from the bag of chips. Place a reasonable size portion in a bowl and snack from that. When the bowl is empty you know you have consumed a serving, instead of accidentally finishing off the entire bag.

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Mindless Eating Explained

FitSugar — Thu, 03 May 2007 02:00:00 -0700

A lot of us have the tendency to overeat. One of the major culprits is plate size. We tend to eat more than we should when eating off a big plate rather than a smaller plate. Brian Wansink author of Mindless Eating explains that fifty years ago, when Americans were a lot skinnier, plates were considerably smaller. Large plates and bowls lead to over eating for the same reason giant popcorn buckets do: they make portions look smaller. Short, wide drinking glasses have a similar effect. The New York Times recently ran an article on this very concept and Dr. Wansink, which showed the image on the right that, illustrates how our minds cannot decipher portion sizes properly.

Fit's Tip: If you feel like you're guilty of overeating, you may want to take a good look at your plate size. Try switching to the smaller plates in your set for a week and see where that gets you. This image makes me a believer and I bet you'd eat less for that week.

For a real challenge, read more
The purpose of The National Mindless Eating Challenge is to get support from Dr. Wansink directly. When you join the challenge they will ask you questions about yourself, your goals, and your lifestyle. Based on your answers they will then suggest small changes to your home or behavior that are most relevant. You will also then be given a Mindless Eating Daily checklist to keep track of your progress. They'll periodically check in on your progress (through email). At the end of the month, they'll ask you how things went and they'll suggest some new changes to consider for the next month, oh and it's FREE. It's like free food counseling. Interested? Then start the challenge here or buy the book ($15.75) from Amazon.com.

Do You Eat in Front of the TV?

FitSugar — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 09:00:01 -0700

A lot of us take our dinner right in front of the TV. Seems relaxing enough, but if your aim is weight loss, then you may want to think about moving away from the TV.

Research has found that kids who watched TV while eating lunch ate a whopping 228 more calories than those who ate without the television on. While the study was done only with kids, I am a firm believer that this also holds true for adults. I'm a fan of TV just as much as the next girl, but it can be a mindless activity, which leads to mindless eating and unnecessary calories. So do yourself and your kids a favor and turn off the tube. Maybe you're already eating without the TV on, so I'm curious . . .

Healthy Eating Tip: Set Up Daily Snack Times

FitSugar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:30:54 -0700

Snacks are an important part of a healthy diet. If you only eat three meals a day, you'll be starving by mealtimes, which most likely will result in overeating. Plus living with hunger pangs is a surefire way to become tired and moody, and you may not end up making it to your next meal before devouring the first unhealthy snack you set your eyes on. So while snacking is healthy, mindlessly snacking all day long isn't good either, since you'll end up consuming tons of extra calories and we all know what that means.

The best way to handle snacking is to set up a snack time (yes, just like when you were in preschool). Plan a morning snack for around 10:30 and an afternoon pick-me-up around 3:00. This way you will eat a little something in between meals without ruining your appetite. You also need to plan what you're going to eat during your snack time. Choose something that contains fiber and protein to fill you up and give you energy.

Don't know what to snack on? Here are some suggestions for the next time you have a Snack Attack.

Health Tip: Take a Walk After You Eat Like Rosario Dawson

FitSugar — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:47:00 -0700

I'm a fan of taking a walk after dinner, but why limit your postmeal strolls to just after supper? Roasrio Dawson says, "It's great to take a walk after you have a meal." So, if you have time, take a little walk after breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Not only will it burn some calories and help with digestion, but it's a way to get some fresh air and enjoy the pleasant Summer weather. Since exercise curbs your appetite and can give you an added boost of energy, walking after eating can also prevent you from mindlessly snacking in between meals. Another bonus? Walking is free and calms the mind, so it's an inexpensive way to relieve stress, which can lower blood pressure. Try walking just 10 minutes after each meal, and you'll immediately notice the benefits.

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