The mental factor

We all know there's a big psychological component to weight loss, right? I find this field fascinating. New research from a Cornell lab that studies why we eat what we do in the quantities that we do, showed that people ate more calories when they thought of the restaurant as healthy than if they thought of it as a typical fattening fast food joint (ie. Subway vs McDonalds). Surprised? I was, until I realized that it's a version of the Snackwells syndrome all over again. You know where you eat bigger portions because it's "lowfat" and end up taking in more calories than with a normal portion of the regular version. People in the study also rewarded themselves with dessert more when they thought they were being "good" during the meal.
You know as a busy mom, you're going to have to grab food on the go or takeout to feed your family sometimes. So should you just forget trying to eat at the "healthy joints"? No, of course not. Just keep in mind the mental factor of eating is as important as the nutrition you put in your body. And stop thinking of foods as being "good" or "bad." Tune into what your body needs and wants - hey, it may just tell you that some spinach is what it craves - and make the portion reasonable no matter what it is.