Brian Wansick, PhD - who wrote the book Mindless Eating in which he looks at external and environmental cues that influence how much we eat without us realizing it - did a study that points out another important and often missing piece to this apparent paradox
The study, Internal and External Cues of Meal Cessation: The French Paradox Redux? was published in the journal OBESITY (Vol. 15 No. 12 December 2007). The researchers examined whether there was a difference in the "cues" or signals between the French and American subjects to see when they knew they had consumed enough food and in turn, stopped eating. The results, while not surprising, tell us more about the toxic food environment we live in and how it influences us to eat more than we think we are.
From the study.....
The French were more likely to report food behaviors that suggested that they used internal cues of meal cessation rather than external cues of meal cessation.
More so than Americans, the French reported that they stopped eating
- when they started to feel full,
- when they wanted to leave room for dessert,
- and when they no longer felt hungry.
In contrast, Americans reported food behaviors that suggested that they tended to use external cues of meal cessation rather than internal cues.
More so than the French, Americans reported that they stopped eating
- when others thought it was normal,
- when they ran out of a beverage,
- and when the television show they were watching was over.
I'm going to (try to) incorporate these French food behaviors into my meals.
French Paradox
Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating
French Paradox
"Perfection is not attainable. But if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence."
- Vince Lombardi
Sometimes you need to take one step back for every two steps forward.
Time heals everything!
90% of a diet is 60% mental
- Vince Lombardi
Sometimes you need to take one step back for every two steps forward.
Time heals everything!
90% of a diet is 60% mental
I've also read that instead of asking "Are you full yet?" they ask "Have you had enough?"The French were more likely to report food behaviors that suggested that they used internal cues of meal cessation rather than external cues of meal cessation.
More so than Americans, the French reported that they stopped eating
- when they started to feel full,
- when they wanted to leave room for dessert,
- and when they no longer felt hungry.
Most of us probably need to take a clue from any babies we've fed. Babies tend to refuse to take more once they've had enough. And well-meaning people feeding them try to get them to eat more.
"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do. Not that the nature of the thing itself has changed but our power to do it is increased." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."
"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."
- BrightAngel
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