From Extra-Large Fries to Extra-Large Size

The “Extra Large” trend can be understood by connecting some dots from the point of view of psychology— apart from obvious biological and genetic reasons, of course. Isn’t it pretty obvious that the lieu of stores offering clothing lines for the “Plus-size” people stems from the availability of “Plus-size” meals at every major fast food joint in the town? The McMaharaja, the Doubly Loaded Pizzas, the Jumbo Pepsi cartons, 50% larger Chips packets and Big Scoop Ice Creams have indeed translated into the need for 3XL sized jeans.

So far, we only looked at how being too thin can be problematic. But at the end of this series on body image, it only seems fair to discuss how being Too Large can be problematic too. When I say ‘Too Large’, I don’t refer to a deviation from what the media has come to portray as the ideal. Too large is a body size where you start experiencing discomfort in your everyday functioning and well-being due to the extra pounds of weight lugging you down.

Did you know: researchers have found that the secret behind thin waist lines of the French is their small portion size? Right in the beginning we drew the connection between serving size and body size and this connection has been indeed upheld by Brian Wansink who found that even nutritionists eat 31% more of ice cream when they are given big instead of small bowls and 14.5% more when they are provided with a large instead of a small scoop. Pretty interesting how your mind fools you into eating more when provided with a larger spoon, eh? Hence, a cool DIY hack to try if you wish to lose some unnecessary body fat is to look around your kitchen and replace all those large serving spoons and plates with smaller ones.

Set point is the weight range in which your body is programmed to function optimally. Biologically, we are bound to return to our set point weight or a number around it because our body is designed as such that when we linger too far away from our set point weight, it either reduces or increases the metabolism rate depending in which direction the weighing scale is tipping. Genes ensure that most of the times you end up having a body shape that your ancestors have had. However, if you believe that hunger happens only in the stomach and not the head, then you’re mistaken. One study conducted with amnesic patients found that if offered 3 meals every 20 minutes after being completely satiated, the amnesic will still eat each with equal appetite. Why? Because they have no memory of having eaten earlier! Thus, your mind has a role to play in weight gain and weight loss too!

Another interesting fact that is widely known is that you eat more when you get more variety. So if you find yourself stuffed and slouched in a corner after hogging on a scrumptious buffet at your BFF’s wedding then you know it is psychology at work! In fact, the phenomenon of social facilitation states that we tend to eat more when we share a meal in other people’s presence. Thus, although savoring meals in isolation doesn’t seem like an appetizing idea, you can try to maybe reduce the number of people who share the table with you at your office canteen to somewhat protect yourself from your brain’s tricks!

Ever reach out for a bar of chocolate when feeling a rush of emotions—good or bad? Ever sit with a box of deep-fried snacks in your lap while you mindlessly watch a chick-flick but reflect on the bad events that happened earlier in the day? Ever use COMFORT FOOD to fight nostalgia, loneliness or anger? Only if these starchy foods ever helped you gain long term relief! All they do is momentarily play with your hormones to give you a “feel-good” factor which fades away soon enough to bring you back to reality with a few extra kilos hugging your waist. So eat when you need, not when you want. Be mindful! One hands-on trick for doing this is to maintain a food journal in which you enter everything that you eat and when. Do keep a record of the self-introspected emotions felt before and after eating to red flag comfort eating. Once the triggering points are recognized, try to consciously replace eating with another, physically involving yet pleasing activity like dancing. This shift will go a long way keeping those love-handles at bay.

Lastly, it is not possible that we talk about food and not mention dieting! Dieting is often considered to be an unpleasant, maybe even fear evoking term for many people. After all it involves putting a check on something that provides an instant mood boost—FOOD! In fact, most of the time people fail to keep up with their diet schedules because of what researchers Herman and Polivy explain to be the “What-The-Hell-Logic”. According to this principle, once you break a small rule of your weight management program, you believe that you don’t have it in you to go through with the rest of it either. This is to say that your thought process in such circumstances goes something like this: “If I am no good at this, what the hell! I might as well chug down that left over cheese pizza with a can of Pepsi and make the most out of my failure.” However, one way in which you can minimize this effect is by harnessing social support and self help. For instance, replace the junk food in your fridge with healthy alternatives. Surround yourself with people who’ll help you achieve this ideal and believe in your efforts. Check whether “out of sight, out of mind!” really works.

 DO YOU RATIONALIZE YOUR UNHEALTHY EATING HABITS TOO? This post may seem like the kind of common sense that existed right in front of your eyes but still somehow managed to skip your attention. But sometimes, aren’t simplest of things most required to take a step towards big changes? So, use this "common sense" knowledge from psychology to keep yourself from inching closer to obesity and develop a healthy body image.