The Psychology Behind Why People Will Eat Anything at Work (fastcompany.com) 103
Anyone who has spent time working in an office has seen how quickly a box of doughnuts gets demolished. But it's not just genuinely tasty snacks that get gobbled up. From a report: Dr. Susan Albers-Bowling, a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic and author of six books on mindful eating, says one of the big reasons is that it's free. "We are motivated to try things that are free because it's low risk," she says. "We also feel like we're getting a deal." The cost of obtaining a food could be a deterrent for unhealthy behavior, says Luke Ayers, PhD, assistant psychology professor at Widener University. "People may be less likely to spend money on a knowingly unhealthy snack," he says. "The food being free might just remove that obstacle."
The office is also a ripe place for encouraging mindless eating, particularly in the afternoon. "We hit an afternoon slump, and a lot of us go looking for food," says Albers-Bowling. "If it's available, we are creatures of convenience. If it's easy and it's there, we go for it." Watching our peers eat can also trigger mindless eating. "Seeing others eating something has a contagious affect," says Albers-Bowling. [...] Where the eating takes place can also influence your behavior, says Ayers. You might be more open to trying new foods when you're in a different environment, and then you connect that environment to a new habit.
The office is also a ripe place for encouraging mindless eating, particularly in the afternoon. "We hit an afternoon slump, and a lot of us go looking for food," says Albers-Bowling. "If it's available, we are creatures of convenience. If it's easy and it's there, we go for it." Watching our peers eat can also trigger mindless eating. "Seeing others eating something has a contagious affect," says Albers-Bowling. [...] Where the eating takes place can also influence your behavior, says Ayers. You might be more open to trying new foods when you're in a different environment, and then you connect that environment to a new habit.
Re: (Score:2)
My work gives free food. (Score:3)
I don't eat everything they give me. Sometimes I go and buy my lunch elsewhere. There are things I have never tried, free or not.
Re: (Score:3)
When I was rebuilding mtv.com, cmt.com and vh1.com, the wife of the owner of the development company I worked for used to stock the lunchroom with free snacks once a week, and all the sweet and salty snacks were gone by Tuesday, but no one ever touched the fresh fruit and other healthy snacks.
I ended up buying one of those magic bullet blenders and a huge tub of whey protein and polishing it all off by myself. Saved me a fortune.
I liked working there.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
I've had co-workers who were shocked, nearly scandalized, because I didn't show interest in the donuts.
People who said they "can't" were shown sympathy, but people who don't even want a donut?! Weirdos, perverts, they might not even really be human.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
You're an anecdote. An outlier. Your contribution serves no purpose. Tell us how many like minded people are out there.
Also it doesn't even sound like you are what they studied. Consider that and reply when you get it.
Free food is free of guilt (Score:2)
You can always run/walk extra to make up for it.\\
I wouldn't complain if someone brought in fresh fruit or veggies. unless it was just carrots and celery with no dip...
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
You can always run/walk extra to make up for it..
That'd be great, if most Americans actually ran/walked any distance
And with a burn rate of nearly 100 calories/mile, some of these desserts will have you on the road for quite a while. No worries, most Americans walk from their car to their couch and call it a day.
Re: (Score:3)
That'd be great, if most Americans actually ran/walked any distance
Oh come on, how do you think we get from one chair to the next chair?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Oh come on, how do you think we get from one chair to the next chair?
Don't tell them about the special office chairs we have with built-in toilets so we never have to get up. If we're going to do rp fantasy, we might as well do it right.
Re: (Score:2)
That'd be great, if most Americans actually ran/walked any distance
I know right? Perhaps a better diet is to sit around at the pub all day. Much more exercise too! Well, at least in the form of [several different pint size definitions] curls.
100 calories per mile? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Also people just like donuts.
Apparently not Swedes [youtube.com] though.
What drivel ... (Score:1)
Before I retired there was often food at work ... the leftovers from meetings and so forth. The good stuff got eaten. The crap stuff did not. I do not understand where the story is coming from, but it is definitely not from anywhere I recognize.
Pardon? (Score:5, Insightful)
...author of six books on mindful eating...
How can there possibly be 6 books worth of information about whatever mindful eating is?
I am going to assume she's a con-artist and everything she says is a lie.
Re:Pardon? (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Most people eat more often than they buy books, so it might be a smaller market.
Plus, most of the people who would buy a book with your proposed title would buy it used. You would definitely have a chicken-egg problem. Maybe just sell the first 10,000 at a steep discount and lie and say they're used. Probably the only way to even get anybody to review it.
Re: (Score:3)
You seem to be having trouble with terminology, because a "cheese pizza" is normally already a "vegetarian pizza."
I'm not even convinced you know what the types of pizza are, much less that your sample group was broadly representative.
Re: (Score:2)
The vegetable pizzas are the first to go, people who eat meat usually grab one slice with meat, and one slice with veggies each trip.
The cheese pizzas are the leftovers, but you have to get them for the people who are allergic or intolerant to various ingredients.
It is obvious they buy you cheap fast-food pizzas because they don't care about you and know you're easily impressed.
Re: (Score:2)
You seem to be having trouble with terminology, because a "cheese pizza" is normally already a "vegetarian pizza."
I'm not even convinced you know what the types of pizza are, much less that your sample group was broadly representative.
I won't dignify an AC's post by replying to it, but this time I'll have to say my experience at work is the same, which is often talked about by the admin staff that order the pizzas. "Vegetarian" or "Veggie" pizzas are often asked for by one or two people, and if they don't happen to be there that day, nothing gets eaten till the other pizzas are gone. If they don't get ordered, those will be the days the vegetarians show up and they ask for something more than just cheese.
Of course, I think the real prob
Re: (Score:2)
I've worked in offices for 30 years and I have yet to see a carnivore option among the pizzas.
So I don't eat them.
Re: (Score:2)
Sounds like your company needs to be ordering from better pizza places. What do you expect for $6 fast-food pizzas? That's like complaining about McDonald's Salad offerings. A good pizza place won't have boring vegetarian pizzas.
Here are some of the pizzas with the little (v) next to their name at a couple of my local places:
* House-made Pesto, Mozzarella, Sautéed Greens, & Feta
* Chunky Marinara Sauce topped with fresh Spinach Leaves, diced Red Onions, ripe Tomatoes, sliced Mushrooms and our House
Re: (Score:2)
If your mind is full to overflowing before you even read six books, maybe you just shouldn't over-think it?
Re: (Score:2)
Mindful eating is basically a way to avoid over-eating and to feel more satisfied from less food by not just stuffing your face full of it.
It encourages you to think carefully about everything you put in your mouth, and when eating it take note of the taste and texture and how full you feel after each bite. No mindlessly stuffing cheetos into your gob until the bag is empty.
Re: (Score:2)
Mindful eating is basically a way to avoid over-eating and to feel more satisfied from less food by not just stuffing your face full of it.
It encourages you to think carefully about everything you put in your mouth, and when eating it take note of the taste and texture and how full you feel after each bite. No mindlessly stuffing cheetos into your gob until the bag is empty.
Well said....
Now, can you pad that out to 6 books of approximately 40-50,000 words each? ;)
Re: (Score:2)
I'm going to assume this person is a con-artist and everything they say is a lie.
There can be a lot of nuance to something that isn't readily apparent to someone who isn't well-acquainted with a subject. At some level, coding is just giving a computer instructions, basketball is just shooting a ball in a hoop, mindful eating is just not shoving too much down your gullet.
And given the issue we have with obesity in 1
Re: (Score:2)
How can there possibly be 6 books worth of information about whatever mindful eating is?
I am going to assume she's a con-artist and everything she says is a lie.
Translation: I don't know what something is but because someone else does they are a con artists and a liar.
Let me guess, global warming isn't real, the moon landing is a hoax and economists are wrong that Brexit will cause a recession in the UK as well right?
Re: (Score:2)
Let me guess, global warming isn't real, the moon landing is a hoax and economists are wrong that Brexit will cause a recession in the UK as well right?
No, all those things are real. Brexit, just like putting "mindful" in the title of something, is a con to sell something to someone who doesn't really understand the world.
Serotonin (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
If you are losing food, leave a fruity drink mostly replaced by sodium citrate laxative. I did when some shitbag kept swiping mine at work. Never found the perp but drink thefts stopped.
Not quite everything... (Score:2)
Garbage disposal... (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Cubicle Meerkats (Score:2)
Nothing like the special joys of watching all the cubicle meerkats pop up on word that someone on your floor, the third floor, has a birthday and there is sheet cake to be had. Wait! Who is THAT meerkat? Is this a fourth floor meerkat coming for our sheet cake? Come on! We'll see you at tomorrow's fourth floor sheet cake party!
It's probably no just one thing (Score:3)
We need to lump in factors like:
- stress eating
- boredom (eating being more interesting than work)
- social pressure (B-day cake for example)
- desire to move around (excuse to leave you cubicle)
ideally (Score:2)