Becoming Mindful About Mindless Eating

You’re at a movie and you’re so absorbed in the action that before you know it, you’ve finished a jumbo-sized container of buttered popcorn. You wouldn’t have thought you could eat that much popcorn; you only bought it because for 10 cents more, you got the jumbo size – plus a larger drink.

 

We all occasionally fall prey to mindless eating. Even those who are careful about what they eat can be unaware of the amount of food they consume over the course of a day. This is because there are many environmental factors, like eating environment and food environment, which impact our food consumption without us even realizing it. 

 

Our eating environment consists of all the things around us that make us less attuned to how much we’re eating and less able to recognize our satiation (fullness) cues, such as:

 

·         Eating atmosphere:Have you ever been in an elegant restaurant with dimmed lights, candles flickering, and soft music playing, and three hours later you’ve consumed appetizer, salad, meal, and dessert? Atmosphere has a lot to do with what we eat. Dimmed light makes us less self-conscious and inhibited, thus we tend to eat more. The same thing happens with pleasant music. Interestingly enough, loud, irritating music increases consumption, too, but for a different reason: You want to hurry up, eat, and get out of there!

 

     Another eating atmosphere factor is the “consumption script.” That is, we eat

     certain foods because that’s what you’re supposed to do in the situation. 

     Examples are popcorn at the movie, hot dogs at the ball game, and snacks in

     front of the TV. Even if you’re not hungry, you associate these foods with the

     environment you’re in.

    

·         Eating effort: Most of us eat more if we don’t have to work hard to get the food. In fact, this is one of the strongest influences on human consumption – and likely what makes fast food so popular. This explains why we’re more likely to eat when there are leftovers around and why we consume more shelled peanuts than when we have to shell them.

 

·         Eating with others:People tend to consume more when they eat with other people, especially those they are familiar with and enjoy. This is, in part, due to the distraction of concentrating on the other person and ignoring satiation cues. Part of this, too, is what is called the “consumption norm.” That is, you’re more likely to eat a bigger portion size if your eating partner does, and less likely to have dessert if she skips it, too.

 

·         Eating distractions: It is a well-known fact that those who read or watch TV while eating tend to eat more. In fact, for many people, the cue to stop eating comes when the TV program is over or the magazine is finished. Research has shown that those who are overweight are more prone to eating distractions.

 

The food environment also plays a role in how much food we consume. The “Five S’s” of food environment include:

 

• Salience of food:Something that is “salient” stands out conspicuously. It’s the old “see food diet” joke: I’m on a see-food diet – when I see food, I eat it! Having foods around, especially our favorite high-calorie foods, increases our consumption. Clear jars of candy from your desk, chips in a plastic bag, the plate of cookies on the counter – all these things spark our desire for those foods.

• Structure and variety of food assortment:Think about the last potluck meal you went to – so many different foods! Even if you took just a little bit of each appealing item, you’d eat far more than you would if there were fewer selections. Research shows we eat more if there’s more variety, and we also eat more if things are arranged to look as if there’s more variety. In other words, if you have a bowl of 25 different colors of M&Ms, you’ll probably eat at least one of each, despite the fact that they all taste the same. If there were only one color of M&M in the bowl, you’d likely eat less.

• Size of food packaging and portions:We all know about the super-size phenomenon. The consumption norm comes into play here: If a large drink is served at your favorite restaurant (no smaller drink available), you get the idea that this is the normal portion size. The “clean plate” is at work, too; the cue for stopping a meal is often that the plate is empty. 
   
• Stockpiling food:Those who look for a bargain often buy in bulk and stockpile their deals. But having an endless and visible supply of food encourages greater consumption.

• Shape of dinnerware:Research indicates that the size and shape of bowls, plates, and glasses can create “consumption illusions.” For example, your eye focuses on the height of poured liquids rather than the width. So, sugar-laden soda poured into a short, wide glass would look like less than the same amount of soda poured into a tall, thin glass. The same portion of food would look like less when served on a large plate rather than a small plate.

• At restaurants, decide how much to eat prior to the meal. Order small quantities if possible, or ask wait staff to wrap leftovers when you’ve eaten an appropriate portion. The breadbasket can be removed, too. Linger over coffee rather than dessert or an after-dinner drink.
• At potlucks or buffets, put only two foods on your plate at one time. This will allow you time to think before serving yourself more.
• Store tempting foods you buy in bulk in less convenient locations, such as in a basement pantry. Better yet, repackage food into smaller containers and freeze or box them.
• Serve family dinners on smaller plates; use tall, narrow glasses and small serving spoons.
• After a family meal, remove serving dishes from the table immediately. Wrap leftovers in tinfoil or dishes that aren’t see-through.
• Place healthier, less caloric foods in the front of the refrigerator and less healthy foods in the back.
• Avoid reading or watching TV while eating. If you do allow yourself a snack in front of the TV, pre-serve yourself a portion and skip refills. Never eat out of a package; put portions on a plate or in a bowl.
• Eliminate cookie and candy jars and replace with a fruit bowl.