Food for Your Whole Life Symposium Day 2 of 2. Mindless Eating & More!

Day two of the Symposium began and we— Jess, Elizabeth, Janel, Lindsey, and yours truly—were ready to start! And start we did at a press conference! I was thrilled! Because A) I can now take press conference off my “bucket list” (no, I’m not kidding); B) Look at the speakers below who were present! It’s as if someone had given me a year’s supply of green grapes for free! … I couldn’t be happier or in more awe (don’t worry, grapes don’t put me in awe … if so, then we’d … okay, I’d, have a serious problem!).

The Speakers

My Question

Well, I couldn’t just attend a press conference, I had to ask a question! Thus, I asked Dr. Katz the following

Which do you think plays a larger role in changing our nations health as a whole: changing the food supply or changing peoples’ behaviors and food habits, so they pick healthier options, and in turn, perhaps changing the food supply?

Now, being a newbie at a press conference and in total awe that Dr. Katz was answering my question (yay!), neither did I think to bring a recorder, nor could I keep up with Dr. Katz’s words on my laptop. This man is such an eloquent and brilliant speaker that honestly, you get lost in his words. Regardless, I got the main points down (I do have some cred here!).

Basically, Dr. Katz noted that there’s a tendency to blame the food supply, but that there’s not a shred of evidence that we, as individuals, have any less impact on our health. He said, “The more challenging question is how to change the food supply … If we can change demand, so that the only foods people put in their mouths are healthy, then we can change the food supply.” He then referenced the Atkins craze—how when low-carb was all the rage grocery stores and food manufacturers started altering current products, adding new ones, and promoting foods to match the low-carb demand. Hence, supply, directly followed demand. Dr. Katz concluded with, “ Ultimately, yes, environment influences food supply, but a change in the food supply will require a change in demand.” So folks—start demanding!

Cool Notes

Dr. Clemens, member of the USDA 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, spoke on Weighing the Evidence for Health. As the rest of the conference stressed, Dr. Clemens noted how there is clear evidence that a plant-based or vegetarian diet is VERY health promoting. Folks just need to assure they’re “getting in” enough nutrients that may be lacking here, such as B12, calcium, and Vitamin D. And that they’re actually eating a plant-based diet. For example, cookies, cheetos, and ice cream are all meat-free items, but they are not plant based.

Dr. Clemens also provided the following info:

Consumers’ Reasons for Making Health Changes

• Increased overall well-being
• Increased physical health
• To lose weight
• Because of a specific health condition
• To maintain weight

How Did People Seek to Make Changes

• Change in types of food eaten
• Change in amount of food eaten
• Change in how often one eats
• Change or use of dietary supplements

What Impacts What People Purchase? In order of most influence to least influence

• Taste
• Price
• Healthfulness
• Convenience

Q: What’s new here?

A: Taste still carries the most influence on what people purchase, but price is at an all time high.

Then, There was a Stretch Break

We had a 15 minute stretch break and in this time fitness guru, Petra Kolbra had us bobbin’ and swayin’ and “opening up our hearts.” P.S. I’ve never met a woman so energetic. Petra’s awesome.

Mini-squats!

Elizabeth and I after the stretch break! Note—don’t do any sort of squatting in heels. Not like I fell or anything …

“Mindless Eating” Guru, Brian Wansink, PhD, at Stage

From left to right, Jess, Elizabeth, Dr. Wansink, Janel and me at the Media Reception for FFYWL

Dr. Wansink was up to bat next and shared some interesting insights on how people eat with their eyes rather than their stomachs. His talk was absolutely fantastic and hilarious! He’s a wonderful speaker. Although I can’t give you the full run-down of his talk, I can share with you some fascinating research points and tips for everyday mindless-eating prevention.

• Use tall narrow glasses instead of wide tumblers for calorie-containing drinks (i.e. alcohol-containing drinks, juice, etc.). Tall glasses make you think you’re getting more than you really are, even if it is the same amount as in the tumbler, so you’re satisfied with less.
• Fill your plate with salads and veggies first. The first thing you serve yourself typically covers 60% of your plate.
• Americans need to get back on internal eating cues. In one study, he asked French diners, “How do you know when you’re done eating dinner?” They responded, “When I’m full or when food no longer tastes good.” Then, Americans in Chicago were asked the same question. Their responses were, “When the food on my plate is gone, when everyone else is finished, or when the TV show is over.”
• How much you eat depends on more than just food. In one of Dr. Wansink’s studies, people who used a 10-inch salad plate instead of a dinner plate lost 1.97 pounds/month. Those who only ate in the kitchen or dining room lost 1.58 pounds/month. Those who ate oatmeal as a breakfast alternative gained 0.83 pounds/month. WHY???!!! Because they didn’t like oatmeal and ended up adding lots of sugar or toppings to it and/or felt as if they had a good breakfast, so they could reward themselves later (i.e. eat a donut. etc.).
• Small changes are where to begin. Picking one small habit to change, committing to it for a month, and then choosing another goal works best. It keeps things fresh. Variety is key.
• The belief that knowledge is power is not good enough. It’s easier to change someone’s environment than someone’s mind.

If you haven’t read Mindless Eating, you must! It’s a wonderful read on why we eat more than we think we do. But, until you read it, check out this article from the Nutrition Action Health Letter (March 2004) for more information on Dr. Wansink’s research. And visit Mindless Eating for more info.

The Finale

Then, it came to an end! One last group pic before we all went our separate ways. A great ending to a fabulous symposium!

Have you read Mindless Eating? If so, what did you think?

P.S. I’m in the process of packing and sorting through my stuff before the big cross-country move from Boston to San Fran and boy did I forget about how draining it is! But, it’s coming along