DietsInReview.com had an opportunity to take part in a webcast organized by the International Food Information Council Foundation and hosted Brian Wansink Ph.D, Director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab and bestselling author of the eye-opening book, Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More than We Think.

In 2009, the International Food Information Council Foundation conducted the fourth annual, Food & Health Survey, a analysis of Americans’ attitudes towards food, nutrition and health. Before Dr. Wansink presented us his sage advice for how to navigate our way through the food-filled holidays, he discussed a few of his key findings from the 2009 survey. We thought you would find some of the results interesting also so here are some of the most salient highlights:

• Twenty-five percent of Americans said that they are active for at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week.
• The top motivators for being active are to lose weight followed by to improve appearance.
• Forty percent of Americans do not use any resources to improve their diet – no pills, no special diet books, no hypnosis.
• At any given time, 53 percent of Americans are trying to lose weight.
• For those looking to lose weight, 71 percent are trying to change the amount of food they eat, 65 percent are trying to change what kinds of food they eat and less than 20 percent are counting calories.
• The biggest barrier to staying on track with weight loss goals is not seeing results quick enough (44 percent) followed by lack of will power (43 percent).

So before you sit down to your holiday meal, Dr. Wansink recommends to be aware of the following open invitations for overeating.

• Large portion sizes can cause us to eat more, even if we don’t really like the taste of the food being offered. His studies have shown that the larger the portion size, the more we eat. Therefore, prevent mindless overeating by using measuring devices to control how much you eat, ask yourself if you’re truly hungry for the food in front of you or whether you’re just eating because it’s there and use smaller plates and serving dishes.
• Keep tabs of just how hungry you are. Most of us think we are full when our plate is clean. But being a member of the clean plate club is not doing any favors for our expanding waistlines. Instead, pause every few minutes in between forkfuls of stuffing and sweet potatoes to determine just how satiated you are. Stop when you feel content or about 80 percent full.
• Don’t fall for diet-sabotaging mental rationalizations. From “I made it, I deserve it,” to “pre-loading” on appetizers, nuts, or turkey samples and to the “happy host,” who eats to please, mentally prepare yourself by thinking about what you are going to eat and how much you are going to eat beforehand so that you’ll feel satisfied over what you ate and proud over your self-control once all the dishes have been served, cleaned and put away.

Happy Holidays!

Each week, DietsInReview.com will recap the hottest headlines in weight loss, diet and health news to keep you informed of news you can really use.

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This guest blog was written exclusively for DietsInReview.com from The American Diabetes Association, an organization that is leading the fight against the deadly consequences of diabetes and fighting for those affected by diabetes in commemoration of American Diabetes Awareness Month. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. Founded in 1940, our mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information please call your local American Diabetes Association office at 1-888-DIABETES (1-888-342-2383) or visit The American Diabetes Association.

With an estimated 57 million Americans with pre-diabetes, the American Diabetes Association offers an online tool that helps people understand their personal risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

My Health Advisor takes into account a person’s specific risk factors, such as family history and lifestyle choices, as well as other factors like access to health care, to determine their risk for developing diabetes, heart disease and stroke. The online calculator immediately reflects and readjusts a person’s risk outcome based on small changes they make in their lives, such as losing five or ten pounds, quitting smoking or taking a daily aspirin.

Everything is changing these days and the digital world is taking over. Have you ever played video games? Well, most video games in the past have required very little or no physical activity. But now, digital workout games are becoming far more popular than actually working out itself.

The latest video craze is thanks to the Wii and complimentary games like Wii Fit and EA Sports Active. These “exergames” have made fitness enjoyable by allowing physical activity to be fun, challenging, and adventurous. These fitness video games are great for improving eye-hand coordination, balance, stability, and stamina; all of which you can do at the gym as well.

Is there anything negative to say about exercise?

According to a recent article in The New York Times, exercise not just enhances mood and reduces anxiety but scientists are on the groundbreaking cusp of understanding the physiological processes that enable you to feel that amazing workout high after a long run or trek on the treadmill.

We have long known that exercise enables the growth of new brain cells. But at an October meeting for the Society for Neuroscience in Chicago, researchers from Princeton University revealed a startling revelation: In response to exercise, brains are calmer and more able to respond to stressful stimuli than brains that have not been exposed to regular exercise.