The End of Overeating

I enjoyed the book review of Dr. Kessler's recent book, The End of Overeating, in the New York Times titled "How the Food Makers Captured Our Brains" by Tara Parker-Pope. If you don't have time to read the book, I encourage you to read the article. Here's a few snippets for those who don't even have time to do that:

In "The End of Overeating," Dr. Kessler finds some similarities between the tobacco industry and the food industry, which has combined and created foods in a way that taps into our brain circuitry and stimulates our desire for more.

Dr. Kessler isn’t convinced that food makers fully understand the neuroscience of the forces they have unleashed, but food companies certainly understand human behavior, taste preferences and desire. In fact, he offers descriptions of how restaurants and food makers manipulate ingredients to reach the aptly named "bliss point." Foods that contain too little or too much sugar, fat or salt are either bland or overwhelming. But food scientists work hard to reach the precise point at which we derive the greatest pleasure from fat, sugar and salt.

Foods rich in sugar and fat are relatively recent arrivals on the food landscape, Dr. Kessler noted. But today, foods are more than just a combination of ingredients. They are highly complex creations, loaded up with layer upon layer of stimulating tastes that result in a multisensory experience for the brain. Food companies "design food for irresistibility," Dr. Kessler noted. "It’s been part of their business plans."

One of his main messages is that overeating is not due to an absence of willpower, but a biological challenge made more difficult by the overstimulating food environment that surrounds us. "Conditioned hypereating" is a chronic problem that is made worse by dieting and needs to be managed rather than cured, he said. And while lapses are inevitable, Dr. Kessler outlines several strategies that address the behavioral, cognitive and nutritional factors that fuel overeating.

You'll have to read the book to get Kessler's prescription, but it's not a quick fix and not for the faint of heart. It takes a strong desire to be well and then a clear plan for getting the necessary nutrition and exercise our bodies need. The LifeTrek Optimal Wellness Prototype is one way to do that, and I encourage you to give it a try.

Coaching Inquiries: How many processed foods do you eat? How many raw and whole food do you eat? How could you structure your routines and your environments to eat better? Who do you know who might be interest in joining you on the question? Why not give them a call, right now?

If you would like to learn more about our Coaching Programs and to arrange for a complementary coaching session, Click Here or Email Us.