10 Bizarre Reasons You Eat Too Much

It’s tempting to believe some people possess a magic power for keeping their appetite under control. After all, what else could explain your sister’s (really annoying) super-human ability to choose healthy, reasonably portioned foods 99% of the time? While it’s not quite magical, certain seemingly unrelated habits and issues can influence when you put down the fork—and when you definitely don't (but should).

Grabbing a Starbucks blueberry muffin may save time, but if you want to fit into your favorite skinny jeans without cutting off all circulation to your toes, you’re better off with protein, like an egg white omelet or Greek yogurt. Numerous studies, including a recent one from the British Journal of Nutrition, show protein’s ability to keep you full, versus a diet high in carbohydrates (sorry, muffins). “Protein not only has a higher satiety value than fats or carbs, but it also takes more calories to break it down,” says Kelly Pritchett, PhD, RD, assistant professor in sports nutrition at the University of Georgia. Aim for 1 gm/protein/kg body weight, or 65 g daily protein for a 140 lb. woman.

Choosing a wrapped treat will help you eat less than choosing ones that are ready to be popped into your mouth, according to a study published in the journalAppetite. The little extra effort it takes to unwrap a piece of chocolate was enough to deter people from eating as many. In the study, normal-weight women invited to sample freely from a bowl of 20 candies ate fewer candies (3.6 vs. 5.5) when the candies were wrapped versus unwrapped. Another trick? Using tongs to take the candy out of a bowl versus scooping it out by the handful also significantly reduced the amount of food taken.

Let’s face it: no one likes a loser. If you left the room midway through this year’s Super Bowl like most Broncos fans, you likely headed for the chips and chicken wings to drown your sorrows. A study published in the journal Psychological Science found that fans of losing teams are more likely to reach for comfort in the form of unhealthy foods. “Typically people don't eat broccoli to celebrate or mourn something negative,” says Amy Goodson, MS, RD, the dietitian for the Dallas Cowboys. Goodson recommends eating before a game to avoid being too hungry—and therefore more at the mercy of the binge-inducing highs and lows of watching your team play.

If you can’t remember the last time you went to bed before 2 a.m., you’re more likely to struggle with your weight than those who nod off earlier, according to research from Oregon Health & Science University. Researchers found that the body’s circadian rhythm, or internal clock, increased hunger and boosted cravings for sweet, starchy, and salty foods later in the evenings. People also tend to mindlessly eat when watching TV, says Pritchett, who recommends substituting another behavior: brush your teeth, drink hot tea, or snack on veggies. 

Chances are, you overestimate the number of calories you burn when exercising, finds a study published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness. Volunteers were asked to exercise on a treadmill and then eat the caloric equivalent from a buffet. They overestimated calories burned by three- to four-fold and overcompensated by eating two- to three-fold more calories afterward. In reality, walking at a brisk pace (4.0 mph) for 30 minutes burns approximately 170 calories for a 140 lb woman—you won't even burn off that bagel.

Skipping breakfast and forgoing lunch until late in the afternoon may sound like a good way to save calories, but it’s likely to backfire, says Goodson. “You should try to get in more of your calories earlier in the day when you’re up moving, exercising, and working.” Research shows that waiting to eat later in the day is a surefire way to set yourself up for overeating or even binging when you finally do eat. 

White food on a white plate increases the amount of food you’re likely to eat by about 22% when compared with a contrasting food (e.g. tomato sauce on a white plate), according to a study by Brian Wansink, PhD, from Cornell University Food and Brand Lab. Since this works both ways, for foods you’d like to eat more of, such as salad greens, researchers recommend eating them off a green plate. Go for high contrast for high-calorie foods. If no various colored plates are available, simply swap a larger plate to a smaller one and you’re also likely to eat less.

Swapping sugary drinks for sugarless versions seems like an easy-peasy way to cut calories, but you may end up overcompensating in other ways, says Goodson. Several studies support this, including one involving more than 3,600 adults over a seven- to eight-year period. Participants who drank more than 21 artificially sweetened beverages a week (vs. none) showed double the risk of being overweight or obese. “Artificial sweetener does not satisfy your sweet craving so you go look for something else,” says Goodson. If you crave something baked, eat one regular cookie instead of three artificially sweetened varieties. 

Whether you’re an optimist or a pessimist, your perception of a half-full glass—and how much beverage it contains—depends on the shape of the container, according to a study published in PLOS One. Men and women who drank an alcoholic beverage from a curved glass (think flute shaped, with a flared top) were 60% faster to consume the beverage than those who drank from a straight-sided glass. Researchers believe the glass shape changed the perception of the halfway point, which influenced the rate of consumption.

If the mere thought of being without your smartphone makes you break into a cold sweat, it may be time to reign in that stress. Stress may cut your appetite in the short-term, but if it becomes chronic stress, it can motivate you to eat more, according to researchers from Harvard Medical School. Researchers believe the release of the hormone cortisol during stressful times increases motivation to eat.