The Mindless Margin- Chapter 1
In chapter 1, Dr. Wansink explores the question - Why do we eat things that don't taste good? The answer lies in the cues around us. The first big cue he talks about is the size of the container itself - hence the popcorn study I mentioned in the previous blog. The research shows people will eat more popcorn out of a larger bucket - even if it tastes horrible! The same occurred with identical wine bottles, one with a California wine label vs. a North Dakota wine label. People enjoyed the "California" wine more even though they tasted the same, and they said the food they ate with the meal tasted better as a result.
Wansink also talks about the "Mindless Margin" which is defined as the amount of more or less calories per day we can eat without feeling deprived. Instead of dramatically cutting calories or depriving ourselves, the theory is that if we shave off just a little each day, we won't notice and still lose weight. The same is true in reverse, just 100-200 extra calories per day can add up to a larger size at the end of the year. The mindless margin is said to be about 20% of our daily caloric intake.
What would happen if you made a conscious effort to cut 20% of everything you ate and see if you felt deprived? I have been trying to do this, and with a few exceptions, I really haven't noticed feeling deprived. A neat diet trick that just might pay off over time!
Chapter 2-The Forgotten Food
I loved reading about the chicken wing experiment. Subjects who were presented with a buffet of chicken wings were divided into two groups, one where the leftover bones were cleared from the table, and one group was left with the bones. The group that had the bones left at their table ate 28% less than the boneless tables.
Study after study shows that we eat with our eyes, not our stomachs- that we rely on visual cues to tell us we're full. The researchers even rigged a study with a bottomless soup bowl- one with a tube drilled in the bottom that slowly refilled the soup as the subjects ate. First of all, no one noticed their bowl was being refilled - amazing! Second, the bottomless bowl subjects ate over twice as much soup, and several kept eating over the entire 20 minute experiment.
Wansink recommends we attempt to see all that we eat to avoid overeating. For example, put your food on a plate or bowl, leave empty cans and bottles and plates out until you are finished eating as a reminder of what was consumed, and instead of refilling your glass or plate, get a new one and leave the old one out.
What do you all think of these findings and suggestions? Are any of you with bad "eating out of the box" habits willing to change your ways, and start seeing what you're really eating ?
Next week, we'll discuss Chapters 3 and 4- Happy reading!
Dell - a Lumen
