“This week I’m gonna be good”
That’s what you tell yourself in your head, but later that night you’re watching TV and get a craving for something salty and crunchy… You’ve got chips in the pantry, and it’s the most convenient thing available to you without having to cook something up.
“I’ll just have a handful,” you tell yourself.
We know how this story ends. You look in the bag 15 minutes later and most, if not all, of the chips are gone.
You’ve just become a victim to mindless eating, and it’s one of the reasons we gain weight so easily.
FACT:
We will always succumb to the most convenient foods available when it comes to a craving for a snack…
Also Fact, snack companies make their foods the MOST convenient things possible (You know how Oreos have the resealable flap? That’s to make it easier than ever to access)
Fortunately, there is one way that’s been proven to limit snacking for those looking to lose weight.
A study was done where they wanted to measure M&Ms eaten in an office setting… So they placed the candies in 3 different positions, to see where they were eaten the most and least.
1. A bowl on the desk within arms reach of the person
2. A bowl inside of a drawer below the desk
3. Across the office in a bowl with the person’s name on it
I think you know which one did the worst.
Scenario one was the worst. Hyperpalatable food that is so easy to reach for proves to be irresistible to “mindless eating” and snacking during the day.
However, just by putting the M&Ms below the desk in a drawer
reduced consumption by 50%!
Just having the M&Ms out of sight and needing to stop doing what you’re doing keeps you from overeating.
However, the bowl across the office did the best at
90% less consumption!
Why?
Because to get to the M&Ms took perceived effort and everyone in the office knew that person was going for the M&Ms so it was kinda like a “walk of shame” every time.
So how do you do this with your peanut M&Ms, chips, ice cream, or whatever your vice is?
Simply make it inconvenient for you to get something. Put it in cabinets that are too tall or in a garage or basement freezer/fridge. It won’t stop you from eating it all the time, just about 50% of the time.
How well does this work?
Every year, my wife gives me leftover Halloween candy and tells me to hide it. Since she can’t reach the back of the top shelf of our pantry, I just throw it back there.
When she wants candy, she either has to ask me to get it for her or she has to get a ladder or chair out to reach into the back of the pantry.
Last week I was cleaning out the pantry and found the bag of Halloween candy from last year. It still has about ⅓ of the candy left in it.
And the only surefire way to 100% not eat these foods is to simply not buy them.
If your goal is weight loss, the key to staying on track is to avoid temptations by any means necessary! Try to structure your environment to be conducive to your goals, and you’ll make progress!
