MMethod Science

We eat with our eyes, not with our stomachs.  Research has shown that we usually decide how much to eat, when to eat, and even what to eat, because of what we see in our eating environment and because of habits we've formed over the years about eating, not because of hunger or reasoned thinking.

Bad eating habits and environmental cues often cause us to eat more than we need.  Much of what we see and do makes it easy to eat too much, even encourages us to eat too much.  The good news is you can turn this around, and adopt good habits that will cause you to eat less - without dieting.  Sometimes without even noticing that you've done anything much different.  You cut out extra food you don't need, in a way that you won't really miss it.

Deprivation diets usually don't help.  You starve for a while as you rely on will power to avoid what you want to eat and to limit how much you eat.  Nearly everyone gives up before they experience much benefit, and even those who lose weight this way usually put it back on.

Diet books and magazine articles can only do so much.  There is not a magic short list of a few things everybody can use to change their habits and lose weight and be healthier.  If there was, it would be on every magazine cover, everyone would know it by now, and we'd all be happy with our weight.  The reality is that people have different bodies and different lifestyles and different personalities.  Reading about what works for other people might say nothing about what will work for you, or about what you should do to make your life better.

You need a personalized plan in a professional program.  To transform your bad eating habits into good ones you need to know what your habits really are (sometimes they hide from you!), you need to know what habits to adopt instead (different tips work for different people, and no one thing works for everyone!), and you need to know what program to use to make those changes stick (it isn't at all obvious!).  And, your program needs to be easy for you to do, not take a lot of time, and not cost a lot of money.

That is THE MMethod.  We learn about your lifestyle and personality, we show you what you need to do, we give you a clear plan to help you get there, and we support you and change your plan for you as you change to keep a good fit, all without the discomfort or the effort or the expense of deprivation dieting.  Experience Better Living Through Less Thinking!

And, by adopting healthy eating habits, your gains can last a lifetime.  Keep the Change!

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How Much Do People Eat Mindlessly?

A lot. People think they make about 15 food decisions a day, but actually they make over 200.  That's over 6,000 eating decisions a month, over 72,000 a year, and about a million in 14 years!  If your decisions favor overeating by just a tiny bit, the combined effect over time is great. Just 100 or so Mindless Eating calories a day can mean more than 10 extra pounds a year.

Bad habits and bad eating habitat can undo you.  “Family style” service increases the frequency of taking extra portions by over 50%. Snacks within reach often are eaten until the bowl or package is empty.  A large dinner plate can cause you to take an extra 20% more food.  Short wide glasses can have an even greater effect on how much you pour. Large serving bowls can cause you to serve more.  Dr. Wansink has found hundreds of examples.  These overeating traps are everywhere!

If I Stop Mindless Eating, Will I Be Hungrier?

No. Mindless Eating can cause you to eat more than you need.  By avoiding Mindless Eating you eat less than you did before, avoiding the extra food you didn't need, sometimes without even knowing it.  When you do this right you don't feel deprived physically or psychologically.  Dr. Wansink calls this the “Mindless Margin”™ – food you won't miss if you don’t eat it.  Eating right without feeling deprived - that's MMethod Eating.

Can I Reduce Mindless Eating by Changing my Environment?

Yes. It’s easier to change your environment than to change yourself. Changes in your eating environment won't change all your bad Mindless Eating habits, but they can help.

Replace poorly-designed dinnerware and utensils with pieces designed to help with portion control.  (check out Dr. Wansink's Thinware™ dishes and glassware, and Mindless Portioning™ products)  Use wristbands and clothing and fridge magnets and signs and other reminders to adopt healthier habits.  (check out Mindless Cues™ and Mindless Gear™)

Is There Reason to Believe the Good Effects Will Last?

Yes!  THE MMethod helps change the way you think and act about food.  You don't deny yourself the foods you love for a while, just to go back to old habits after the "diet" is over and then put the weight back on.  We help you become a person who eats better naturally, with healthy habits that repeat themselves thousands of times in the future, so you don't lose what you've accomplished.  Our intention is to have everyone Keep the Change.

There is no revolving door here at THE MMethod, just a path to Create New Habits to Create Lasting Change.