Ask a Dietitian
"Diana, just a quick heads up to let you know we are still using your cookbook and the guys will often be heard saying what would Diana say about this or that....really good feed back... I made your potato salad and the oriental coleslaw on Sat. for a family luncheon and had rave reviews so thanks again."
BC Hydro
Overeating, why do you do it?
It seems to be common practice to overeat at Thanksgiving and Christmas, all you can eat restaurants and buffets. Perhaps it is the abundance of food and the plethora of selection that leads us into temptation. Or is it getting our money’s worth?
What is it that makes us overeat at home? Researchers did a meta-analysis of 23 studies and published it in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. They measured how much people ate with or without alcohol (1-2 Drinks), eating in front of the TV or not and sleep deprivation.
The results showed that alcohol had the greatest impact on the amount people ate, followed by sleep deprivation and then TV. One explanation may be that these factors increase the hormone ghrelin which stimulates appetite. Another explanation is that our inhibitions are impaired and our response to food in the reward center of our brain is intensified.
Whatever the mechanism, if you are trying to reduce overeating, try to get more sleep, reduce alcohol consumption and don’t eat in front of the TV. And maybe steer clear of the buffets and all you can eat restaurants.