Overeating is so Easy

According to Professor of Psychology Gary Wenk, the decision making process for starting to eat is rather simple. "First, see the food and eat the food; second, keep eating until it's gone."

In contrast, the decision making process for stopping eating is far more complex. Is there more food left? Are others competing with me for the food? Wenk says that we are compelled by our genetic legacy to eat whatever and whenever possible. In addition, our brain tends to associate positives together and then give us the impression that the two things are related by more than a simple correlation.

For example, "We see the word organic on foods and believe that it must be healthier; we assume that a wine from France must be of higher quality than one from Ohio; we assume that we can eat more of something that is labelled low-fat," observes Wenk.

So, with the odds stacked against us, what can we possibly do to combat our brain's innate tendency to make us overeat and overweight? "Part of the answer lies in placing smaller portions in front of you; never eat at buffet tables; try eating alone," says Wenk.