13 science-based tips to prevent mindless eating

  


    On average, you make more than 200 decisions about food each day - but you know only a small fraction (1) of them.

  The rest is done by your unconscious mind and can lead to mindless eating, which can lead to weight gain.

  Here are 13 science-backed tips to stop eating mindless.

  
  1. Use visual reminders

  Behavior scientists believe that one of the main reasons people eat is because they rely on the external rather than the internal cues to decide whether they feel hungry or full.

  Naturally, it can cause you to overeat.

  To demonstrate this point, the researchers provided participants with an unlimited amount of chicken wings, while watching a lengthy, sporting event on TV.

  Half the table was cleaned continuously, while the bones were left to accumulate on other tables.  People who have bones on the table eat 34% less, or 2 fewer chicken wings, than those who had a clean table (2Trust Source).

  Another experiment used tireless bowls to slowly replenish some participants' soups as they ate (3Trusted Source).

  Bottom bowl eaters consumed 73% more - about 113 additional calories - than those eating from a normal 3Trusted Source.

  Nevertheless, those who ate more soup did not feel fuller.  Most estimated their calorie intake to be similar to those eaten from regular soup bowls (3Trusted Source).

  These two studies show that people rely on visual cues, such as the amount of chicken bones or soup, to decide whether they are full or still hungry.

  To do this natural tendency in your favor, keep proof of what you eat in front of you.  Examples include empty beer bottles that you drink at a barbecue or used in plates at an all-you-can-eat buffet.

  SUMMARY Use visual reminders of foods and drinks you drink to help you be conscious of what you have already consumed.

  2. Favorable small package

  Another external cue that can cause you to eat is the size of your food packaging.

  Known as the effect of portion size, it can contribute to significant weight gain over time (source 4Trusted).

  On the other hand, packages that contain pose points can help reduce this effect, as they give you time to decide whether to keep food or not.

  For example, participants ate potato chips from Pringles cans, with every 7th or 14th chip in red with 43–65% fewer chips than those without any dyed chips (5Trusted Source).  There were eaters from the compartment.

  Similarly, people who ate from a large bag of 200 M & Ms consumed 31 more candies - 112 extra calories than those given 10 small bags of 20 M & Ms (6).

  SUMMARY  Favoring small packages can help you reduce the number of calories by up to 25% without calories.

  3. Use small plates and tall glasses

  Studies show that 92% of people tend to eat the food that they serve themselves.

  Therefore, reducing the amount of food you serve can make a significant difference in the number of calories you consume (7Trusted Source).

  An easy way to reduce portion sizes without noticing changes is to use smaller plates and taller glasses.

  This is because larger plates tend to make your food portions appear smaller, encouraging you to give yourself more food.

  Using 9.5-inch (24-cm) plates instead of just 12.5-inch (32-cm) plates can help you easily eat 27% less food (7Trusted Source).

  Additionally, studies show that by using long, thin glasses instead of wide, you can reduce the amount of fluid you ingest by up to 57% (8).

  Therefore, to help you limit alcohol and other high-calorie drinks, choose wider, smaller glasses to drink more water and longer, thinner ones.

  SUMMARY   Replacing Large plates are short ones and wide, short glasses with tall, thin ones are two easy ways to reduce their portion sizes and limit the effects of goofy eating.

  4. Reduced Variety

  Research shows that you can eat up to 23% more (9) due to having a wider choice of food.

  Experts call this phenomenon "sensory-specific satiety".  The basic idea is that your senses become numb after being exposed to the same stimulus several times - for example, the same taste (10).

  Having different tastes in a single meal can delay this natural numbness, pushing you to eat more.

  Just believe that even more diversity can fool you.  Researchers found that participants gave bowls with 10 colors of M & Ms and ate 43 more candies than bowls given with 7 colors, despite all M & Ms tasting the same (11).

  To make sensory-specific satiety work for you, try to limit your choice.  For example, choose only two appetizers at a time during cocktail parties and stick to ordering the same drink throughout the evening.

  Keep in mind that this mainly applies to candy and junk food.  Eating a variety of healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables and nuts is beneficial for your health.

  Uncovering the diversity of food flavors, colors, and textures will help you prevent your body from eating excessive junk food.
[12/1, 16:27] Hitender: 5. Keep some foods out of sight

  Researchers report that the popular saying, "out of sight, out of mind" especially applies to mindless eating.

  To illustrate this point, the secretaries in the bowl involved in a study gave Hershey Kisses that were either clear so that they could see the candy, or solid, so they could not.

  Those who gave clear bowls were opened to receive candy 71% more often, consuming an additional 77 calories per day, on average (12Trusted Source).

  Scientists believe that by looking at food, you have to decide consciously whether to eat it.  Seeing it more often increases the likelihood that you will choose to eat.

  Keeping healthy and nutritious food in view, do this work in your favor by hiding the tempting behaviors.

  SUMMARY  Keep behaves captivatingly so that you can prevent them from eating mindlessly.  On the other hand, healthy foods appear when the hunger strikes.

  6. Increasing eating discomfort

  The more work you have to do to eat food, the less you eat it.

  In one study, secretaries were given clear bowls of candy that were placed in three different locations around the office: on a desk, in a desk drawer, or 6 feet (1.8 m) away from the desk.

  Participants ate an average of 9 candies a day when the bowl was on the desk, 6 if the bowl was in the drawer, and 4 if they had to walk to pick up the bowl (13Trusted Source).

  Asked why they ended up eating less when the bowl was further away, participants said that the extra distance gave them time to think twice if they really wanted candy.

  Do this for you by picking up snacks to do some extra work or keeping less nutritious snack foods out of reach.

  Better yet, make a habit of serving all the food on the plates and sitting at the kitchen table.

  This inconvenience may be just what you need to get out of boredom or to keep yourself out of mindlessness while preparing dinner.

  Summary eating facilities.  By adding additional steps you can turn a mindless eating behavior into a conscious choice, which will reduce the likelihood of overeating.

  7. eat slowly

  Slow eaters eat less, feel fuller, and consider their food more enjoyable than fast food (14Trusted Source).

  Scientists believe that taking at least 20–30 minutes to finish a meal takes longer for your body to release hormones that promote feelings of fullness (15Trusted Source).

  The extra time also allows your brain to realize that you have eaten enough before reaching that second serving (15Trusted Source).

  Eating with your non-dominant hand or using chopsticks instead of a fork are two easy ways to reduce your eating speed and make this tip works for you.  Chewing more often may also help.

  Reducing your eating speed is an easy way to consume fewer calories and enjoy your food more.

  8. Choose Your Dining Companions Wisely

  Eating with only one other person can motivate you to eat up to 35% if you eat alone.  Eating with a group of 7 or more allows you to eat 96% (16Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source).

  Scientists believe this is especially true if you eat with family or friends, as it increases the time you eat compared to what you eat.

  The extra table time can push you to the guilt that is left on the plate, while the rest of the group ends their meal.  It can also encourage you to eat a dessert that you would not normally eat (18Trusted Source).

  Sitting next to slow eaters or people who usually eat less than you can work in your favor, influences you to eat less or more slowly (19Trusted Source).

  Other ways to counter this effect include choosing in advance how much of your meal you want to eat or asking the server what you are eating.

  SUMMARY  When eating in groups, sit next to those who eat less or slower than you.  This can help prevent overwriting.

  9. Eat according to your internal clock

  Relying on external cues, such as the time of day, to determine your hunger level can make you overeat.

  One study demonstrated this idea by isolating participants in a windowless room with a window as their single time cue.  This clock was then artificially controlled to run faster.

  Researchers noted that those who relied on the clock to eat knew that they ended up eating more often than those who relied on internal hunger signals (20).

  Interestingly, normal-weight participants were less likely to rely on the clock to determine if it was time to eat (16Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source).

  If you have difficulty distinguishing physical from mental hunger, ask yourself if you would easily eat an apple.

  Remember, real hunger does not discriminate between foods.

  Another telltale sign of mental hunger is wanting something specific, such as a BLT sandwich.  The craving for a specific food is unlikely to indicate actual hunger.

SUMMARY  Externally to internal signs of hunger to reduce the likelihood of your body eating more than it needs to.



10. Beware of 'health foods'

  Thanks to clever marketing, even foods labeled as healthy can make some people eat goofy.

  "Low-fat" labels are a prime example, as foods low in fat are not necessarily low in calories.  For example, low-fat granola typically contains only 10% fewer calories than regular-fat granola.

  Nonetheless, the study found granola labeled as "low-fat" ended up eating 49% more granola than those normally provided with labeled granola (22).

  Another study compared the amount of calories from Subway and McDonald's.  Those who ate Subway consumed 34% more calories than they thought, whereas those who ate at McDonald's ate 23% more than they thought (23).

  What's more, the researchers mentioned that Subway diners rewarded themselves for their own healthy food choices by ordering chips or cookies with their food (23).

  Foods that are inadvertently eaten are considered healthy, or their tendency to compensate for something less healthy is commonly referred to as the "health aura" (24Trusted Source).

  Clear about the effects of the health aura by taking items based on their ingredients rather than their health claims.

  Also, don't forget to pay attention to the side item you choose.

SUMMARY  All foods labeled NOT healthy for you.  Focus on ingredients rather than health claims.  Also, avoid taking unhealthy sides with your healthy food.

  11. Do not stockpile

  Research has shown that buying bulk and stockpiling foods may motivate you to eat more.

  One study investigated this effect by providing a group of normal weight college students with a four-week breakfast.  Some received the usual amount of snacks, while others received double the amount.

  Participants who received double the amount consumed 81% more calories from snacks per week than those who received normal amounts (25Trustst Source).

  Avoid falling for this effect only by purchasing what is required and trying not to buy snack food for future events or unexpected trips.

  Finally, if you really should stock the items, make sure to keep the excess items well out of sight.

  SUMMARY  Stockpiling foods increase your chances of overeating.  Instead, make a habit of buying only what is needed for the week.

  12. Maximize the amount of food

  Eating large amounts of food gets stuck in your brain thinking of consuming more calories, which reduces the chances of overeating and gaining weight.

  The researchers examined this effect by serving two smoothies in calories to the participants.  However, one was added to it. Smoothie drinkers felt fuller and ate 12% less at their next meal (26Trusted Source).

  An easy way to add volume to your food without increasing calorie content is to choose high-fiber foods with low calorie density, such as vegetables.

  This is because the amount of extra fiber and water added, which expands your stomach, helps you feel fuller (27).

  Fiber also helps to slow your stomach emptying rate and may even stimulate the release of hormones that make you feel satisfied (27, 28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source, 30).

  A good rule of thumb for maximizing food intake is to fill at least half a plate with vegetables at each meal.

  SUMMARY  High-volume foods help you feel full and reduce food intake at the next meal.  Eating fiber-rich foods is an easy way to do this.

  13. Unplug while eating

  You get distracted while eating, which can make you eat faster, feel less, and eat more without mind.

  Whether it is watching TV, listening to the radio, or playing computer games, the type of distraction does not matter much (31Trusted Source, 32Trusted Source, 33Trusted Source, 34).

  For example, people watch television while eating their meals, with 37% more pizza and macaroni and cheese (35Trusted Source) eaten.

  In addition, it seems that the show, the more food you are likely to eat.  One study stated that participants who watch a 60-minute show eat 28% more popcorn than they enjoy a 30-minute show (36Trust Source).

  In particular, this effect applies to nutritious foods as well as junk foods as participants watching longer shows have consumed 11% more carrots (36Trusted Source).

  Prolonged interruptions extend the duration of eating, making you more likely to eat more.  Also, by eating distracting meals you can forget how much you have eaten, due to which you have to eat later in the day.

  In fact, another study found that participants playing computer games during lunch felt less full and ate biscuits approximately twice 30 minutes later than their non-distracted counterparts (37Trusted Source).

  Instead of putting your phone away, turning off the TV, and focusing on the taste and taste of your food, you will quickly stop eating without mind and can enjoy your meal in return.

  SUMMARY  Eating without using your TV, computer, or smartphone can help reduce the amount of food needed to make your body feel full and satisfied.

  Bottom-line

  For the transition from mindless to mindful eating, try some of the simple suggestions above.

  By doing this, you can improve your overall health and even lose weight which seems easier and can be maintained for longer.

  For best results, choose just three of these tips and aim to apply them continuously for about 66 days - the average time to form a habit (38).