Better Body Chemistry
when eating out
Quick summary of the science :
Eating out is more than just a culinary adventure; it’s a complex interplay of context, environment, and social dynamics that significantly influences our food choices and consumption. The ambiance of a restaurant, the company we keep, and even the design of a menu can subtly steer our decisions, impacting not just the pleasure of the meal but also its health outcomes. Being aware of these factors and how they affect our eating behavior is crucial for making choices that align with our health goals.
Eating Out? Make Every Meal Count Towards Better Health
ORDER FIRST
To choose wisely when eating out, make sure you order first
If you’re the first person to place the meal order when eating out, you’re choosing what you want to eat, if you’re not, there is a good chance you’re conforming.
CHOOSE ONE
Variety is the spice that drives obesity
The “I am full message” is easily overridden by the sensory regions of the brain so the option to eat a variety of foods leads to more food being eaten.
FIZZ THINGS UP
Fizzing up the water flattens your appetite
Start your dinner by downing a bottle of carbonated water. The gas bubbles zooting around your stomach will make you FEEL FULLER so you’ll end up eating less.
BE PREPARED FOR STRESS
Why you should keep a spoonful of sugar in your brief case
Pop something small and sweet into your mouth – the very taste of sugar on the tip of your tongue, will dial down your stress levels.
AVOID DIET FOODS
The semantics of dieting can easily lead to dieting faux pas
You’re currently “ON DIET”, to be safe, you order a salad. But you may not be acting as virtuously as you think because a salad is not always a salad.
WATCH WHO YOU’RE WITH
Bad company corrupts behaviour even in grown ups
“Bad” behaviour becomes more acceptable when other people are doing it. Pigging out constitutes bad behaviour if you’re counting calories.
CHOOSE WHERE TO START
A buffet doesn’t have to be fattening if you approach is sagaciously
The value of a buffet is you get to CHOOSE. But YOU might not be CHOOSING quite as much as YOU thought. But you can choose if you know how…
HAVE AN APPETIZER
Suppress your appetite by drinking what the lions drink
Water is a low cost, side effect free, appetite suppressant, but drinking it with or after meal provides little benefit, you need to drink it before eating.
TAKE A SMALLER PLATE
Maybe it’s time to invest in appetite suppressing glasses
Avoiding eye contact with chocolate fudge sundae, is helpful, but there is more to “watching” than meets the eye. Appetite control begins with the eyes.
PACE YOURSELF
To fit in your clothes, forgo FITTING IN at the dinner table
Dinner racing is common practice, and there is always a pace setter in the race. It is good to know who this is, then do your best to avoid fitting in
SQUEEZE SOMETHING
How to painlessly activate the self control muscle
Need an especially large dose of self-control to conquer a difficult situation. A strategic muscle squeeze or two can trigger the willpower switch.
REMEMBER YOUR WORTH
Do you use food to super size your ego ?
If you’re not living in a big house, driving a big car and watching a big screen TV, you might be satisfying your need for bigness by supersizing your dinner
BE FAITHFUL
If you want to eat pizza while dieting, don’t be unfaithful
The actual calories in the pizza aren’t causing the trouble, it’s the fact that your brain doesn’t have a clue, how many calories are in THAT PIZZA
GO SOMEWHERE QUIET
Did you know that you have taste buds in your ears ?
The louder the background noise, the more bland the food tastes. So try turning down the stereo if you want to eat less salt !
SKIP THE DRINK
Have the hamburger and fries but don’t do the cold drink
The cold drink is the BIG difference, between a sandwich with all the toppings eaten at home, and a hamburger eaten at McDonalds. Those liquid calories add up.
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