Across cultures, eating is a social activity. History has been marked with significant events revolving around social eating—Christians commemorate The Last Supper and the Pilgrims’ Thanksgiving meal is a national holiday. Business deals are signed over lunch, people reconnect over dinner and weddings are commenced with a celebratory feast.

But, social gatherings can be a diet pitfall and the November-December holiday season isn’t the only time you’re at risk for overeating. Year-round we attend social engagements that test our diet willpower—from birthday parties and weddings to book clubs and Friday happy hours. Most social events include some type of refreshment. Popular offerings include pizza, sweets and alcohol. Often we use these events as an excuse to indulge in food or drink that we wouldn’t typically consume. And each affair presents its own temptations.

Imagine the various scenarios you might encounter. You can enjoy these social settings while controlling your eating.

− Don’t attempt to “bank” calories by depriving yourself of nourishment throughout the day. This will only lead to overeating because you will have starved your body. Two hours prior to the event eat a healthy snack that’s high in protein, combined with carbohydrate. This will help stave off hunger and keep your blood sugar balanced.
− Mingle and talk while eating; take your time between bites. Eating too much, too quickly doesn’t give your body enough time to send a signal the brain that you are full.
− Avoid cramming your plate with a myriad of food choices. Studies show that too much variety triggers overeating.
− Denying yourself of certain foods only leads to diet regression or binges. Allow yourself moderate portions of your favorite treats.
− Show off your culinary skills and offer to bring a dish. This will give you control over at least one of the available food options.
− Be the host—then you can dictate the food and beverages that are served.
− Take initiative and suggest that meeting fare include a variety of great-tasting, yet nutritious snacks.

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You’re sitting at a restaurant and inevitably someone says, “I’m not sure what I’m in the mood for.” Whether consciously or not, food and our emotions are intertwined. We look to food for comfort, energy, happiness and more.

Neurotransmitters are chemical substances in the brain that carry signals to nerves. Certain neurotransmitters interact with food and affect our emotions, cravings and appetite. They are:

Serotonin—controls feelings of satisfaction and happiness. Low levels of serotonin are associated with depression, decreased energy and increased appetite. For example, stress can deplete serotonin, which may account for why you have food cravings when you are experiencing a tense or difficult time in your life.

Dopamine—controls the flow of information in the brain and has effects on alertness and memory. Protein helps to trigger the release of dopamine.

Endorphins—regulate hunger and pain and are associated with pleasure. Some research shows that intense exercise can release endorphins, also called the “runner’s high”.

The food-mind relationship could explain some common food beliefs and cravings. For instance, a protein-rich breakfast—which would raise dopamine—could help us concentrate and problem-solve throughout the day.

Or, when you are sad and lethargic, you may crave chocolate. The sugar-fat combination from chocolate is believed to increase serotonin and endorphin levels. Too much chocolate can be a bad thing. A smarter substitute could be complex carbohydrates, to balance serotonin, and exercise, to regulate endorphins. But there is no foolproof formula; chemical reactions to foods will differ from person to person.

Besides the scientifically implied food/mind interactions, we can perceive certain foods as having an affect on our body. If you believe that you need two cups of coffee to jolt your energy, you may feel stimulated, regardless of reality. If during childhood, a beloved grandparent gave you an oatmeal cookie every time you were sad, you might associate cookies with comfort.

Investigating this theory further, a 2005 study conducted by Cynthia Powers, a psychologist with the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery, found that people’s eating patterns altered based on whether they were angry, depressed or stressed. She had 500 patients maintain a log of food choices as well as their mood at the time.

The study discovered common foods chosen during certain moods:

Angry: meat
Stressed: salty foods like crisps and soy sauce
In need of comfort: ice cream
Sad: sugary foods and caffeine
Sexually frustrated: pretzels, breads and crackers
Lonely: rice and pasta

Not enough research has been conducted to dictate that we eat certain foods to alter our emotional and mental state. The key is balance. If your brain chemistry is stabilized, your mood and mind should be as well. Eat a balanced, nutritious diet throughout the day and avoid refined, high sugar foods and beverages. Also, keep a food diary. For a week, write down the foods you consume, the time of day and how you were feeling at the time. You may notice patterns of emotional eating. Identify the triggers and find healthier ways of addressing these emotions.

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Where are you most likely to grab a bite while traveling or in a rush? If your answer is McDonald’s, Subway, 7-Eleven or restaurants like TGI Fridays, then you are not alone. And, when you’re in places like airports and train stations, you may not have much of a choice.

Lacking availability of nutritious, good-tasting foods while on-the-go, may be forcing you into unhealthy eating habits. Nearly half of America’s US food dollars are spent on away-from-home eating, and in 2005, only 60% of all meals were prepared and eaten in the home.

Increases in single-parent homes and households with dual careers leave limited time for at-home meal preparation, where we can determine the nutritional value of the foods we eat. Americans may be calling for convenience, but many are also desiring nutritious, gourmet foods.

While some popular food chains are beginning to address consumer demands for healthier menus—the convenience they provide often means high-caloric, “super” portioned dishes, and few, if any, wholesome options. Plus, these establishments rarely educate patrons about the nutritional value of menu choices.

The good news is that you have alternatives. By planning ahead and remaining cognizant of common pitfalls, you can wisely navigate through diet “roadblocks”.

− Pack foods like bars, string cheese, soy chips, chopped veggies/fruit and mixed nuts. Eating a snack an hour or two before a meal will help you avoid binge eating. Insulated bags allow you to bring your own meals on trains, planes and car or bus trips.
− Don’t wait until you are famished to find a place to eat since you will be more likely to select the first restaurant/food chain that you encounter, regardless of the menu’s nutritional values.
− If fast food is your only option, choose places that offer healthier items like sushi, salads, yogurt, wraps and soup.
− Choose steamed, broiled, baked or grilled dishes over deep-fried or roasted meals.
− Forgo the fillers such as bread, butter and appetizers and limit amounts of condiments like salt, butter, dressings and sauces, which are often over-used.
− If your order portion is too large for one serving, ask to pack your leftovers and split the dish into two meals.
− Eat slowly and only until you are satisfied. If you feel compelled to finish all of the food on your plate, ask the server to clear the table.

In addition, food outlets that prepare nutritious and delicious meals are becoming more abundant. Gourmet and health grocery retailers, like Whole Foods, offer a vast array of prepared foods, healthy vending machines are becoming mainstream and wholesome fast food chains, such as O’Naturals, are opening throughout the country.

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Plastic surgery—is it an invaluable way to attain beauty and confidence or does it promote narcissism and offer empty promises? With 78% of women claiming that they make an effort to enhance their looks, it is not surprising that the cosmetic surgery sector is booming. Popular television programs like Nip/Tuck and the transformed “everyday women” featured on The Swan have brought cosmetic surgeries into mainstream, minimizing taboos and deflating what were once extremely high costs.

From involved surgeries like liposuction, nose reshaping, breast augmentation, eyelid surgery and facelifts to minor procedures like Botox® injections and collagen treatments; people are chasing after the fountain of youth. Young women are looking to correct imperfections and middle-aged women are trying to turn back the hands of time. The extreme emphasis on appearance is alarming for many baby boomers, who grew up during a time when veneration accompanied aging, modesty was preferred over vanity and inner beauty was what fashioned your identity. Our plastic world has come to rely heavily on appearance as a source of self-awareness.

Here are some interesting facts on plastic surgery from 2004:
− 9.2 million cosmetic surgery procedures were performed, up almost 25% from 2000
− 1.7 million surgical procedures were performed, an 8% decrease from 2000
− There was a 24% increase in breast augmentation from 2000 to 2004
− The top five surgical procedures were: liposuction, nose reshaping, breast augmentation, eyelid surgery and facelift
− There was a 280% increase in Botox from 2000 to 2004

Many psychologists worry that people who seek out cosmetic tailoring are attempting to compensate for what they are lacking in other areas of life and will find themselves no happier than they were before they had their tummies tucked and lips plumped. In addition, the prevalence of cosmetic surgery and the popularity of combining more than one procedure at a time has masked the reality that there are a multitude of risks including infection, nerve damage, blood loss or clotting and cosmetic blunders.

Advances have made procedures less invasive and more affordable, with shorter recovery times. Coupled with mainstream acceptance of cosmetic alterations, these developments have made plastic surgery attainable for the masses. With the severe physical and emotional ramifications, however, is it time to temper the slicing, tucking, lifting and injecting with a new focus on positive body image, mental wellbeing and healthy lifestyles?

Statistical data from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons

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Do any of these scenarios sound familiar to you? You have a friend who will live on coffee all day in order to "bank calories" so she can devour a five-course dinner later that night. Your sister treats herself to an entire box of her favorite cookies after a bad day at the office. You sweat through a two-hour workout to compensate for the ice cream sundae you ate the night before.

Historically, we associate eating disorders with the perils of teenage girls. But, these detrimental habits are gaining in prevalence among adult women. The Renfrew Center, which specializes in eating disorder treatment, saw a 33% increase in female patients, 35-years and older, from 2001 to 2004.

The book Runaway Eating, by Nadine Taylor, M.S., R.D. and Cynthia Bulik, Ph.D., identifies women who fall into the category between healthy eating and a downright eating disorder, as Runaway Eaters. Indications of this condition include binge-and-purge episodes, preoccupation with weight/body image, cycles of uncontrollable eating, excessive exercise and obsessive dieting.

Stress, social pressures and fluctuating hormones can instigate or exacerbate this problematic behavior. During perimenopause and menopause, hormone levels change. Excess estrogen causes bloating, sugar cravings and mood swings, making a woman feel fat, hungry and depressed. Too little estrogen causes depression, anxiety, hot flashes and night sweats, making her feel fatigued and irritable.

In addition, midlife brings about a unique set of challenges—pressures to keep a youthful appearance, aging parents, empty nest, retirement planning and more. Women often look to where they can have self-discipline or achieve perfectionism—like weight and diet—in order to compensate for these changes and challenges. Binge eating can bring comfort, while excessive bouts of exercise can bring a feeling of control.

There are ways to combat Runaway Eating and regain a healthy relationship with eating and body image. The underlying issue is emotional and speaking with a health professional is the best start. Other tactics include consulting a nutritionist, adopting a sustainable, nutritious diet and healthy exercise regimen and recognizing the mind-body connection.

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Does a dinner from the local greasy spoon or from the town farmer’s market sound more appealing to you? Did you know that your family could have great influence in this decision?

Families cherish generational traditions and common ties. Heritage, after all, is something to be celebrated—from hair and eye color to endearing mannerisms to timeless stories. Recent studies, however, have found that there is one behavior, that when passed down, can be detrimental to your health—poor eating habits and lifestyle.

According to researchers at Arizona State University, children raised in family households fostering unhealthy eating habits and inactive lifestyles are 33 percent more likely to become overweight as young adults.

Parental relationships with food and nourishment hold high stakes for the future health of their children.

There are several reasons for this:

− Parents are the “gatekeepers” for the nutritious value of household meals/snacks.
− Parents decide whether they are going to be permissive or authoritarian with regards to regulating their children’s diet.
− Children follow the lead of their parents when it comes to when, where and what they eat.
− Adolescents tend to mimic the emotional relationships their parents have with food—eating in response to anxiety, anger, sadness or happiness.
− Children with an obese parent are three times as likely to be obese when they reach adulthood and children with two obese parents are ten times as likely.

As if environmental factors weren’t bad enough on their own, some science has even shown that genetics can be slightly to blame for eating behaviors. University of Maryland scientists studying Old Order Amish families have linked genetics to patterns of restrained eating and overeating in adults.

Eating habits, however, have a greater impact on the risk for becoming overweight than the “fat gene” and there are ways to surpass weight challenges and eating behaviors, whether learned or genetically inherited.

− Realize that you can change your environment and the foods that surround you.
− Don’t skip breakfast—it is the most important meal of the day for weight control.
− Don’t eat in front of the television, in the car, at your desk or anywhere that keeps you from realizing when you are full/overeating.

There are some family habits that you should hold in high esteem. But, there are some cycles that need breaking and rebuilding— your diet and overall health could be one of them.

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Most of the attention surrounding obesity focuses on the negative implications it has on physical health—heart disease, diabetes, cancer and more. But what is often discounted is the emotional impact excess weight, even as few as 10 pounds, can have on your libido.

Negative feelings regarding our body image and physique affect our confidence and comfort level and can lead to insecurities with sexuality and intimacy, resulting in a decreased sex drive.

A two-year analysis of newlyweds, conducted by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, found that after marriage, each spouse gained an average of 6-8 pounds. It appears that a slippery slope of events takes place. Although secure relationships offer emotional support and stability, the laid-back lifestyle may lead to weight gain and eventual body insecurities, which in turn, may have long-term repercussions on a couple’s sex life.

This relationship cycle has serious ramifications for many women who feel uncomfortable in their skin and are less willing to show their skin to their partners. Even women who are not already overweight struggle with trying to feel sexy during the onset of midlife, when weight gain or body changes ensue from hormonal and lifestyle imbalances.

Your body weight and self-image affect all factors surrounding libido levels—perception of attractiveness, not wanting to be seen naked, decrease in sex drive and difficulty or dissatisfaction with sexual performance. A Duke University study found that dieters who lost about 13% of their body weight over two years felt an increase in sexual appeal, experienced more sexual desire and reported an overall improvement in their sex lives.

In addition, physical improvements in muscle strength, endurance and cardiovascular health will also elevate a woman’s sex drive. Getting fit can make you feel years younger, resulting in fewer physical inhibitions and enhanced libido. And, don’t forget the benefit of overall confidence, self-assurance and wellness.

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You’ve heard the phrase “your eyes are bigger than your stomach” but have you ever thought that maybe it’s really your bowl that’s bigger than your stomach? Some research indicates that serving containers, food displays and color and flavor variety may actually be cueing your mind to consume more than you need.

Here are two interesting studies; both conducted at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign:

Two groups of people ate soup from identical sized 18 oz bowls, but unbeknownst to the participants, one set of bowls was rigged with spouts and slowly refilled with soup. People eating from the replenishing bowls consumed 73% more soup, but did not rate themselves as feeling any more full than the other group. The researchers theorized that rather than paying attention to whether or not their hunger was satisfied; participants from the bottomless bowl group used visual cues to determine consumption.

Another study examined how food displays affect consumption quantity. Participants were evenly divided into two rooms under the guise that they would be viewing the Super Bowl. One group was served a snack of mixed nuts and chips from two large bowls. The other group was offered the same quantity of the snack, but the food was divided into four equally sized, smaller bowls, rather than two large containers. Prior to the game, both sets of participants were told they could serve themselves food from the bowls, using a 1-cup scoop. Those who served themselves from the larger bowls took 53% more and consumed 56% more than the group that used the four smaller bowls. Researchers concluded that larger containers prompt people to take a greater serving size in relation to what they feel would be appropriate from a smaller container.

Other research has supported the theory that what we view with our eyes, may subconsciously alter the signals that dictate consumption. Some examples:
− The color blue has been found to suppress hunger; so blue plates may inhibit food intake.
− When candy is displayed in containers on nearby desks or tables, people will eat it, regardless of hunger.
− Transparent food containers provoke eating.
− People consume more when given an abundant and mixed variety of flavor or color choices, as with candies like M&M’s and jelly beans.

Don’t let your mind play tricks on you. Prevent overindulging by eating pre-portioned food, limiting variety, using smaller bowls and plates and measuring or weighing serving sizes prior to eating. Also, eat your food slowly, so that you recognize feelings of satiety before you’ve had the chance to consume too much. You may not need to rush out and buy a set of small blue bowls and plates, but by being prepared for potential pitfalls, you can avoid a lack of willpower or unintentional overeating.

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