Why Bad Eating Habits Are So Persistent

Like most people, you probably have a few bad eating habits, whether it be munching on a bag of potato chips when you talk on the phone or scarfing down a doughnut during break time at work. You may think that it's the taste of that chocolate doughnut that keeps your hand dipping into the doughnut box. Not necessarily so. Surprisingly, some bad eating habits persist even when food tastes bad.

Bad Eating Habits Persist Even When Food Tastes Bad

Researchers gave groups of people attending a movie a bucket of freshly popped popcorn or a container of stale popcorn to munch on during the show. Moviegoers who didn't regularly go to the movies ate very little of the stale popcorn because they didn't like the taste.

On the other hand, those who regularly purchased popcorn at the movies ate the same amount of the crunchy snack whether it was freshly popped or stale. The habit of eating popcorn at the movies was so firmly ingrained they ate it even when it didn't taste good. Even a stale, flavorless bag of popcorn wasn't enough to change their eating habits.

This study suggests that once you've formed a bad eating habit, it's likely to persist even when the experience is no longer pleasurable. Outside environmental cues such as being in a movie theater or talking on the phone can be a trigger for some eating behaviors, even more so than the taste of the food itself. How many times have you found yourself mindless munching on something without really tasting it? These automatic eating habits can become so ingrained in your brain that they're very difficult to break.

Reigning In Bad Eating Habits

The key to breaking bad eating habits is to force yourself to be more aware of what you're eating. In the same study, researchers again asked moviegoers to eat fresh or stale popcorn using either their dominant or non-dominant hand. When the movie watchers used their non-dominant hand to eat popcorn, they ate much less of the stale treat. Using a hand they weren't accustomed to eating with seemed to increase their awareness that the popcorn didn't taste good.

Could something as simple as switching the hand you use to eat help eliminate bad eating habits and overeating? Yes. Switching hands can help break an established eating patterns and increase awareness of what and how much you're shoveling into your mouth.

Eating with your non-dominant hand has another benefit. It causes you to slow down. Unless you're ambidextrous, you can't eat as rapidly with the fork in your non-dominant hand. This gives more time for satiety hormones to kick in and send the signal you're full. Eating with chopsticks instead of a knife and fork does the same thing.

Slow Down and Be More Aware When You Eat

The key to changing bad eating habits and not overeating is to slow down and be more aware of what you're munching on. Give it a try. Eat with your non-dominant hand or chopsticks, and see how it affects how much you eat. Pause between bites, and don't watch television, text or read while you eat. It's too easy to mindlessly overeat when your mind is distracted. Don't let bad eating habits add pounds to your frame. Be aware when you eat.

References:

Medical News Today. "Habits Makes Bad Food Too Easy to Swallow"