Am I Really Hungry?

Do you only eat when you're hungry? If we ate only when we felt hungry, our obesity epidemic would not be so serious. 

One weight loss expert suggests every time we're ready to reach for food, we should ask,  "On a scale of one to ten, how hungry am I?" If your hunger level is seven or lower, don't eat.  You may be thirsty instead. Drink a tall glass of water, and if you're still hungry afterwards, eat then.

In today's excerpt from my new book Intelligence For Your Life:  Powerful Lessons For Personal Growth I discuss how to eat only when you're hungry and how to buy food that you really need. 

Don’t you love shopping at those warehouse clubs? If a jar of peanut butter is great, a tub of peanut butter is even better, right? Buying in bulk can definitely save you money. But did you know that shopping for food at the big warehouse clubs can also help you pack on the pounds?

Food psychologist Brian Wansink says that people tend to eat half of the food they bring home within the first week—regardless of how much they bought. Half a tub of peanut butter in a week? Ouch! Here’s how to take advantage of big-box discounts without packing on the pounds:

•Out of sight, out of mind!
Studies show that one in three people binge when snacks like nuts or chips are kept in plain sight. If your cupboard is so jammed that the giant bag of pretzels you want to buy won’t fit, don’t get it this time around. That way, you won’t keep it on the counter where it’ll constantly be tempting you.

•Divide and conquer.
Divvy up your tub-o’-granola into smaller containers. Studies show that bigger packages prompt people to eat 42 percent more than they would from sensible-size packages. Also, use clear plastic containers so you can quickly see what you already have on hand before you go shopping.

•Work that extra food into planned meals.
Cookbooks often include ideas for substitutions, so thumb through those recipes! For example, marked-down veggies can be added to homemade soup, and bran flakes can fill in for a muffin mix.

• Shop with a friend.
You can share the great big-box finds, like bundled multiples of peanut butter and pasta, without going overboard. That way you’ll still get the discount—but you’ll get home with only half the amount of food to tempt you.

John
Email John:  johnsblog@teshmedia.com

My new book Intelligence For Your Life:  Powerful Lessons For Personal Growth is now available in your local bookstores or you can order it online from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.