Same Old Same Old
Paying attention to the details of what you eat may help you stick with your healthy eating plan. Enjoy yourself more by focusing on the details during the eating experience. This common sense info was reported by University of Minnesota marketing expert Joseph Redden, PhD, MBA. “This could help people following a repetitive regimen,” such as a diet. (I like to call it a healthy eating plan.)
“People usually like experiences less as they repeat them; they satiate,” Redden writes. Satiation, he says, “makes it hard to follow a diet.” Does this sound like something you’ve experience two, three maybe ten times in your life? Maybe it’s time to get specific about what you’re eating. For instance, instead of thinking “not another salad,” think “spinach salad with salmon.” Put the brakes on thinking “If I have one more piece of fruit for dessert I‘m gonna scream!,” Instead think “apple,” “banana,” or whatever yummy piece fruit you plan to eat. Right about now you’re thinking” yeah right”. Again I ask, “what have you got to lose?”. You’ve tried everything else, you might as well try this too and it won’t cost you a thing.
Redden tested the detail-driven approach using jelly beans in five flavors: cherry, orange, peach, strawberry, and tangerine. He gave 135 people 22 jelly beans, one at a time. As each jelly bean was dispensed, information about that jelly bean was displayed on a computer screen. Some people saw general information, such as “jelly bean #7.” Others saw flavor details, such as “cherry #7.”
People got bored eating jelly beans faster if they saw the general information. And they enjoyed the experiment more if they saw the flavor details. The message: Details cut down on that repetitive feeling and boost enjoyment, which in turn could help you stick with a healthy eating plan.
So here’s to apple #235 and salad # 10001!!!
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