Why Do We Overeat:
Health Story

Aired on Lifetime Television
Sunday, January 27 and March 16, 2008
Show 504

Terry Choszczyk is like millions of people – maybe even you. She's so busy, she finds herself eating in a hurry, eating whatever is available, and overeating without really thinking about it. In the blink of an eye, she gained 30 pounds and decided to get some assistance changing her habits. Health and Fitness expert Dr. David Katz of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center in Derby, Connecticut tells us about "mindless eating" and how we often overeat as a result. In his book, Dr. David Katz's Flavor-Full Diet, he discusses how hidden salts, sugars and artificial flavors help to "turn on" more appetite and encourage you to eat more.  Nutrition labels and advertising can add to confusion and also encourage overeating. One way to combat this?  Choose foods with a shorter ingredient list ("you can't hide too many ingredients in an apple," Dr. Katz notes) and less processing. You can eat healthier and feel satisfied with certain foods, proving all over again that you are indeed what you eat. Terry proved that, having lost forty pounds recently with small, easy changes in diet and exercise – and she's maintained it for over a year.