Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think

We all overeat sometimes--when we're feeling emotional, are out to dinner, are celebrating a holiday, or are simply bored. But in addition to these common diet traps, there are others so imperceptible that we have no idea we've stumbled into them until our plates are licked clean and out belts begin to tighten.

Trap: The size of the food's container influences how much of it you eat--the bigger the container, the more you consume.

Solution: Buy smaller dinner plates, don't eat the chips right out of the bag, and just say no to "supersizing it."

Trap: Your stomach can't count. Unless there is evidence of what you've consumed in front of you (ie empty cans, a pile of candy wrappers, or discarded chicken bones), you will likely think that you've eaten over 30% less than you have.

Solution: Keep the evidence on the table. Your brain is better at math than your stomach.

Food Psychologist Brian Wansink is an expert on these dietary landmines, and in MINDLESS EATING he shares his insightful and startling research about the invisible triggers that cause us to mindlessly overeat. He also teaches us how to recognize, avoid, and overcome such gastronomic obstacles.