154. Mindless Eating by Brian Wansink

BOOK REVIEW: Mindless Eating by Brian Wansink

As a chef and born foodie, cooking and most importantly EATING has and always been on my top list. There have been instances where I have overeaten to find that my jeans are a tad too tight or I feel so bloated that I can't move a pinkie. So what makes us scoff our faces and eat the way we do? How can we control this from happening too often?

This book will literally change the way you think about your next meal. Food psychologist Brian Wansink revolutionizes our awareness of how much, what, and why we're eating - often without realizing it. His findings will astound you. Some of them are:

• Can the size of your plate really influence your appetite? (YES. The smaller the plate, the less you will fill it, but the fuller you feel.)
• Why do you eat more when you dine with friends? (You get so distracted by conversation that you pay less attention to how much goes into your mouths.)
• What "hidden persuaders" are used by restaurants and supermarkets to get us to overeat? (Pssssttt...it's in the descriptions, etc. JUICY rib eye.)
• How does music or the color of the room influence how much  - and how fast - we eat? (Try blasting EDM music during your next meal and observe how your meal slides down your throat with ease.)
• How can we "mindlessly" lose - instead of gain - up to twenty pounds in the coming year? (You know what, just read the book will you.)

Starting today, you can make more mindful, enjoyable, and healthy choices at the dinner table, in the supermarket, at the office - wherever you satisfy your appetite.

Although my parents have been disgruntled over the smaller size of plates ever since I read this book, it has helped me look after my waistline. Besides that, it has made me understand the psychological phase of eating that most of us have taken for granted.