Keep healthy snacks nearby during downtimes: People consume more
junk—chips, sweets, fast food—when they’re bored, researchers at a meeting of
the British
Psychological Society reported. Also
reported: During the presentation of the study, 197 lbs of chips, doughnuts,
and Big Macs were consumed by audience members.
Researchers conducted two
studies to see the effects of boredom on food choices. In the first study,
researchers asked 52 participants to complete a questionnaire on their food
preferences before and after repeatedly copying the same group of
letters. In the second study, researchers asked 45 participants to watch a
boring or funny video, during which a buffet of healthy and unhealthy snacks
were provided. The bowls were weighed before and after each trial to see how
much of each snack was eaten.
Results from both prove
people are more likely to reach for junk food after completing a boring
task.
“These results are in line
with previous research [and] strengthen the theory that boredom is related to
low levels of the stimulating brain chemical dopamine and that people try to
boost this by eating fat and sugar if they cannot alleviate their boredom in
some other way," lead study author Sandi Mann said in a press release. In short: “Bored people do not eat nuts.”
Feel like you can't stop eating or always fail to make the right
food choices when you're at work or home on the weekend?
First, make sure you're
getting adequate sleep, you're not skipping meals, you're drinking plenty of
water, and start being mindful of your settings. Are you eating in front of the
TV (or computer), out with friends all the time, and/or when you're super
stressed? All of these factors test your will to eat healthy. Instead of
gorging mindlessly, go for a quick walk; exercise can curb hunger.
Also, try these 5 Mind Tricks for Eating Healthy Food—aside from making fruits
and vegetables more readily available and easy to grab, see how you can shift
your cravings and bad behaviors.
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