Wouldn’t it be great if we thought of food as something that we always eat in the right proportions to nourish us, provide us with the right nutrients not to mention something we truly enjoyed? The problem is that a lot of the time we don’t really think about food – we follow eating scripts. In his book Mindless Eating, author Brian Wansink says that we encounter certain food situations so frequently that we develop automatic patterns or habitual behaviours in order to deal with them. We all have breakfast scripts (a coffee and a bagel from the drive-thru), snacking scripts (something crunchy, sweet or salty), restaurant scripts (oh, I never get to have that at home), plate-cleaning scripts (just clean your plate), and so on. Simply being aware of and observing these habits and patterns can help us shift our behaviour so that eating is nourishing and enjoyable rather than a source of frustration, guilt and regret.

Our television script – what and how we eat when we watch television – may be one of the worst offenders. It is well documented that people who watch more TV are more likely to be overweight than people who watch less. When people watch TV, not only are they not burning calories by doing something physical, but they tend to snack more even if they are not hungry. The TV-script goes something like this – we turn on the TV, we sit down in our favourite spot, we find our program, and we go to get a snack at or before the first commercial. Apart from actually encouraging us to eat with its powerful food advertising, TV prevents us from paying attention to how much we eat. We eat more than we would if we weren’t watching TV because we are distracted. TV can even prevent us from remembering that we already ate a meal or snack while triggering more habitual patterns so that we eat again. A recent poll of over fifteen hundred people found that 91 per cent typically watch TV when eating meals at home. This doesn’t bode well for the waistline. So be aware of your eating scripts, especially the TV one, and try some of these tips to star in your own new health script.

1. Put it in a bowl – a small one. Too often we eat snacks right out of the package while watching TV which inevitably leads to overeating. Put the serving you are eating into a small bowl so you can actually see and be aware of your quantities. Oh, and put the package away so there is no re-filling.
2. Choose consciously and wisely. A glycemically-balanced snack will keep your blood sugar steady and help prevent more cravings. Try apple slices dipped in almond butter or raw veggies with a home-made yogurt dip.
3. Think hot. Hot drinks are more satisfying and make you feel fuller. But they can also be full of high-glycemic calories if we are not careful. Select a mug of hot water, ginger and lemon or choose from literally dozens of naturally caffeine-free herbal teas that line the grocery store shelves.

Jill Hillhouse, Registered Holistic Nutritionist, works alongside Dr. Natasha Turner as a member of the Clear Medicine team. Nutrition plays a viral role in the Clear Medicine Lifestyle System, an integrated medical program aimed at restoring complete hormonal balance, which involves care from an MD, ND, Nutritionist and a Personal Trainer. Contact us at 416.579.9105 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.