Sunday, February 20, 2011

Mindless Eating


I have been following a new business writer who recommended a few books on behavioral psychology that I picked up. Out of the ones I bought, this one looked like the easiest read so I tried it first. Reading a book about the psychology of eating may not sound very interesting, but Brian Wansink is a master of food and this book will entertain anyone who picks it up.

No matter how unusual the subject may be, I love finding an author who writes passionately and coherently about his field of expertise. Wansink does a great job of doing just that. He exposes myths, creates simple strategies, and dismantles conventional wisdom. Food is a powerful subject, and many Wansink's findings can be applied to other areas of life. One study he does is on the power of variety. To demonstrate, he tests how many M&M's people will eat at a superbowl party when given a bowl of M&M's. Half were given a bowl with 10 assorted colors, the other half with 7. The ones given the bowl with 10 ate, on average, over 100 calories more apiece!

If you are looking for a diet book that will tell you all about the latest fads, this one is not for you. If you are looking for a book that uses common sense and human understanding to progressively change your eating habits, a book that will help give you insight into human desire, and a book that is a whole lot of fun to read, this a great one.

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