Eating Too Much? Change Hands to Bribery

Starting from taking a piece of potato chips, potato chips and then the next until you suddenly realize, a bag of chips will have to spend time watching television.

Eat less is often caused by eating habits food that is not thinking about what is included and how much bribe of food into the mouth.

Research at the University of Southern California found that the environment affects a person's eating habits. People who eat using a non-dominant hand to reduce about 30 percent of their food intake compared with those using the dominant hand.

"Disturbing the physical sequence of automatic feeding action, a way to control food intake," said David Neal, an assistant professor of psychology at USC during the study.

For this study, Neal and his colleagues gave each participant a bag of popcorn that is old or newly created during the watch in a dark movie theater. They also asked whether having popocorn eating habits while watching or not. Afterwards, experts weigh the remaining popcorn.

Concluded, as many as 63 percent of all eating popcorn bags, popcorn regardless it is already old or new. Other results, the habit of making people will eat that food even though the popcorn was stale.

"The people believe eating preferences are controlled, we think the meal is determined dam hungry taste of food. But in reality, the environment plays a big role," he said as quoted by CNN page.

To test further, the researchers change the environment in a dark movie theater into a darkened meeting room and play video complete with popcorn. The result, all participants did not eat popcorn in the environment as much as before.

Changing hands while eating popcorn is also shown to decrease food intake by 30 percent.

"It's not convenient to eat using your nondominant hand. And the effect is worse if the food was horrible," said Neil. "This shows not only cause discomfort but it makes you think, 'Is there any significance of this action? Does it taste good? Am I hungry?" If the answer is no, you will stop eating. "

The researchers borrowed this trick from neuroimaging studies that demonstrate the habit of people annoyed when asked to use the task with a hand that is not dominant.

To reduce food intake, try changing the environment that trigger eating behavior 'without thinking'. Neil suggested. You could try switching to a plate and cutlery to eat smaller less, hiding junk food out of reach and eat with non-dominant hand. When you right-dominant hand, use your left hand and vice versa if left-handed use your right hand to bribe.