Super Bowl is right around the corner. And we know it’s not ALL about the football. It’s those great creative commercials oh, and by the way, the yummy snacks and tailgating food that make the event special. So? The non-stop food for four hours also trips up even the best healthy eaters. For many of us, it also perpetuates the pattern of over eating.
The temptation of the endless chips and salsa bowl…the wings…the dips…the desserts. For foodies, life just doesn’t get any better. Thanks, NFL, for this feast of football and food!
So how do you put on the breaks, enjoy the food but not have regrets a day later?
Don’t clear the table
Let’s begin with those tempting wings. In my book, Press Pause Before You Eat, I discuss a study conducted by Dr. Brian Wansink, researcher at Cornell University, that involved chicken wings. Wansink studied graduate students eating at an open buffet featuring chicken wings during a Super Bowl. For one group of students the waiter replaced their once wing-filled plates with clean plates, while the other groups’ bone-filled plates remained. In other words, one group saw the results of their eating because the bones piled up in front of them. The other group had the bones taken away as they ate. The result? The group with continually cleaned plates ate more.
Our take away: Don’t remove the evidence of how much you eat! It will help you eat less.
Consider the shape of your glass
Another one of Wansink’s studies involved the shape of the drinking glass as it relates to how much we drink. While Wansink was the Director of the Food and Brand lab at Illinois, he looked at how the shape of a glass influenced the pour. He studied teens, adults and even bartenders to see if a short fat glass versus a tall thin glass influenced how much liquid was poured. In the end, all 3 groups poured more into a short, fat glass than a tall thin one.
Our takeaway: To get fewer calories from your drinks, use a tall thin glass.
Choose your background music wisely
This last tip has to do with the type of music playing when you eat. Researchers at the University of South Florida found that soft music influences people to make healthier food choices, while loud music does the opposite. Other studies support this finding. Here is why. Loud music creates arousal, excitement and even stress. And that physical/emotional response promotes unhealthy eating. Pay attention to the music playing next time you eat out. And think of all the hype and music during sporting events. Now you know why you reach for another hot dog!
Our take away: When you’re home and can control the music, turn down the volume and listen to a slow soothing tune. You’ll eat less.
A calm physical body will help you make wiser eating choices. But calm and Super Bowl? Probably not two things that go together! So maybe save these prescriptions until after this year’s game.
