Mind Over Matter

One way to avoid putting on weight, according to fitness trainer Dino Nowak, is to stop eating mindlessly, particularly while engaging in other activities such as watching TV. In his book The Final Makeover (Siloam), Nowak suggests that if you eat in front of a TV or computer screen you do not pay attention to how much you are consuming and can easily exceed a healthful amount. If the snack you choose is not good for you (potato chips, cookies, ice cream), the negative effects of the indulgence are that much worse. So from now on, use your head when you go to the pantry: Select a nutritional food, put only one serving on a plate or into a bowl, and eat it purposefully–to satisfy hunger–rather than out of mere habit or a need to keep your hands busy during a sedentary activity.