Move away from the bread basket. It’s easy to understand why pushing the basket out of arms reach can help curb your enthusiasm for mindlessly munching on rolls or tortilla chips. But did you know that sitting by a window might prevent you from overeating?
According to the food psychology research of Dr. Brian Wansink, director of Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab, diners sitting furthest from the front door eat less salad and are 73 percent more likely to order dessert.
Wansink, author of the new book "Slim By Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life," suggests sitting in well-lit areas by a window or near the door. He suggests, "Seeing the sunlight, people or trees outside might make you more conscious about how you look, might make you think about walking, or might prompt a green salad choice."
Eating behavior observations are Wansink’s specialty. He’s known for his work on how specific environments from cocktail bars to ice cream socials influence what and how much often-unknowing consumers will eat. So, it’s not just about mustering the will power to avoid food splurges — which famously wanes — it’s about taking charge of your surroundings.
Size matters
In “Slim By Design” (just in time to help with holiday party temptations), he shares defensive dining strategies based on Cornell’s behavioral research. First, choose your weapons. Smaller plates, serving bowls and spoons lead to smaller servings. In one study, volunteers ate 54 percent more ice cream when they used bigger bowls compared to the dainty bowl group.
Here’s insight for portion control when consuming sugar sweetened soft drinks or tea. Think of the way you want to look when choosing the glass. His research found that people pour more into short wide glasses than tall skinny glasses.
“Visually we focus on the height of what we pour, and not the width,” writes Wansink. “Twelve percent less wine is poured into a white wineglass versus a red wineglass.”
The fat suit study
Who you're dining with can make a difference too. A study by Wansink and co-authors, published in the journal Appetite, found that volunteers at a buffet lunch ate 31.6 percent more pasta and 43.5 percent less salad when in the company of an actress in a fat-suit that made her appear 50 pounds heavier even though she chose a healthy meal. Researchers say maybe the diners felt a kind of "why bother eating healthy if it's not working for her." Subconscious behavior to keep in mind when you're being mindful of how much you eat.
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