Taste Life Blog

Tip #5: More People More Calories

One of life’s greatest joys is to eat with family and friends. Boy, do people influence what we eat and what we weigh. Studies by psychology professor John DeCastro show we eat:

• 35% more if we eat with one person than eating alone
• If we eat with 3 others we eat 75% more…
• …and with 6 others a whooping 96% more calories than eating alone.

Studies show we also mimic the speed of others we eat with. Some families are skinny and some are not, which maybe due to the quantity of food and time spent eating. Dr. Brian Wansink says weight can be inherited but it can also be contagious! Think about that!

Action: Eat alone versus eating in the company of others if you want to lose weight on your lunch break. Sit next to the person who you think will eat the slowest and pace yourself with that person. Always be the last to start eating.

Remember it is not a diet but a weigh of life. Every day in every weigh my life gets better and better!

Want the first four tips? Find the links to previous posts at the bottom of each tip!