零起点美语-Don’t expose yourself.

Don’t expose yourself.

别让自己置身食物堆中。
A sure-fire technique for wrecking any diet is to expose yourself to food you’re trying to avoid. This sounds like common sense, but many a self-confident dieter imagines that he or she should possess enough willpower to abstain from overeating in any situation. Scientists say it just isn’t so.
In two experiments at Boston University Hospital, dieters were exposed to the sight and smell of favorite foods, which made them suddenly “hungry.” When allowed these foods, the dieters ate far more food than usual.
“Mere exposure to the sight and smell of palatable food is sufficient to precipitate loss of dieting motivation,” the researchers conclude. They theorize that the dieters feel anxious or nervous in the presence of foods that they like but are supposed to be trying to avoid. Ironically, it’s the very anxiety that can lead to overeating.
Don’t torment yourself. Keep favorite foods out of your house. Don’t prepare them for someone else, thinking that you can just enjoy looking at them. Don’t hover around tables as other people are enjoying your favorites. Win with the old slogan: Out of sight, out of mind.

只要你让自己置身于想避免的食物当中，任何减重计画铁定会失败。这听起来像是基本常识，但还是有很多充满自信的节食者以为自己在任何情况下都应该有足够的意志力来避免吃得太多。研究学者们说事实并非如此。
在波士顿大学医院的两个实验中，只要让减重者置身在自己喜欢的食物和香味中，他们会忽然变得很“饥饿”。要是获准吃这些食物，减重者会吃得比平时多得多。
研究人员作出的结论是：“光是美食当前和扑鼻而来的香味就足以使人快速失去节食的动机。”他们推论出减重者看到了他们很喜欢但又应该设法避免的食物出现时，会感到焦虑或紧张。而讽刺的是，就是这种焦虑感会导致他们暴食暴饮。
别折磨自己了。家里不要储存你最爱吃的食物。不要为别人准备这些食物，认为自己只要看着别人吃就可以了。在别人享用你最爱的食物时，不要在餐桌旁流连。用“眼不见为净”这句老话来战胜自己的食欲吧。