maybe the best way to stop eating a type of food is to think about it alot

A research project carried out by the famous Carnegie Mellon University based in Pennsylvania, America claims that individuals who were asked to repeatedly imagine and focus on eating a particular type of food ended up eating less of it than those who didn't. What this could mean is that maybe the best way to stop overeating a particular type of food is to think about it a lot!

For the study which used cheese cubes and M&Ms, 51 volunteers were divided up into four different groups and asked to either repeatedly think of the chosen foodstuffs, just imagine it a few times, imagine eating something other than the chosen foodstuffs and in the last group not to imagine eating anything at all.

The research which was published by Science Magazine concluded that the group who were told to think about the cheese cubes and M&Ms the most ended up eating the least amount of it. The researchers said that they ate less not because they were put off it with all their thinking about it but because they just lost their desire to eat such a lot of it. The researchers said that in the same way that you usually enjoy the first few mouthfuls of tasty food the most until you get used to it, thinking about food can be part of the 'getting used to it' process.

Well, it's an interesting idea but not necessarily established fact. Remember that only 51 volunteers took part in this research and that other people would immediately say that the worst thing to do is to think of a favourite food because it makes them hungry and gives them immediate cravings to eat lots of it. 

If you want to use the power of the mind to prevent you from overeating the best thing to do is to visualize yourself slim and fit in a particular situation. Think of yourself on the beach in a bikini and try and go through the negative emotions of what it is like to be overweight and also the positive emotions and feelings that you experience when you know you are looking good.