--- title: Healthy Eating Habits: 4 Sneaky Things That Can Make You Overeat description: How often do you snack in a day? canonical: https://time.com/3951788/sneaky-ways-overeating/ author: TIME article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-07-14T13:00:08.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:58:36.897Z article:section: Health og:title: 4 Sneaky Things That Can Make You Overeat og:description: How often do you snack in a day? og:url: https://time.com/3951788/sneaky-ways-overeating/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbbe229962b06980f/69885a4e8e060100eb461532/overhead-view-people-sharing-fries.jpg?branch=production&width=350&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 350 og:image:height: 197 og:image:alt: overhead-view-people-sharing-fries og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 4 Sneaky Things That Can Make You Overeat twitter:description: How often do you snack in a day? twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbbe229962b06980f/69885a4e8e060100eb461532/overhead-view-people-sharing-fries.jpg?branch=production&width=350&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 4 Sneaky Things That Can Make You Overeat > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Health Matters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Health Matters is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The latest health news and expert advice on living well. Health Matters makes the fast-moving world of health more useful, surprising and human, from the latest science and medical breakthroughs to practical ideas for living better. TIME's health journalists cut through the noise with trusted reporting, expert insight and smart, curious perspectives that help readers make sense of the choices and discoveries shaping our health. 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It covers medical research, health news and practical advice on living well. #### Where can I get reliable health news by email? Health Matters is TIME's daily health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free daily newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. ## Video: The Truth About Fat [Watch (HLS stream): The Truth About Fat](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/uYGhfNfS.m3u8) (5:15)  _Published 2014-06-12. When you want to lose weight or get healthy, what is the first thing you would normally cut from your diet? If you said fat, you're not alone_ by [Cynthia Sass / Health.com](https://time.com/author/health-com/) ## Cynthia Sass / Health.com Contributor Jul 14, 2015 1:00 PM UTC  Overhead view of people sharing fries Overhead view of people sharing fries Getty Images by [Cynthia Sass / Health.com](https://time.com/author/health-com/) ## Cynthia Sass / Health.com Contributor Jul 14, 2015 1:00 PM UTC Overeating is tricky. First, you may not even realize you’re doing it. Second, you may not know _why_ you’re eating too much, because some triggers are downright counterintuitive. Here are four sneaky reasons you may be taking in too many surplus calories, and what you can do to stop it. **Fitness food marketing** I think we all know that simply eating a food won’t make us more fit, but a recent study published in the[ _Journal of Marketing Research_](https://www.ama.org/publications/JournalOfMarketingResearch/Documents/pr-jmr.12.0429-fitness%20branding.pdf)found that when foods are fitness-branded, some of us may unknowingly eat more _and_ exercise less. In the Penn State study “restrained” eaters (people constantly concerned about their weight) were given identical snacks, one labeled “Trail Mix” and the other labeled “Fitness,” which had a picture of running shoes on the packaging. The study volunteers were asked to pretend they were snacking at home, and were given eight minutes to taste and rate the product. In a second phase of the study, subjects had the opportunity to work out as vigorously as they wanted to on a stationary bike. Scientists found that unless the food was specifically forbidden by their diet, people who were trying to watch their weight ate more of the fitness snack than the trail mix. And these eaters also didn’t work out as vigorously as those who ate the trail mix, apparently seeing the food as a substitute for exercise. _Solution_ In my experience, the best way to deflect the effects of food marketing is to raise your awareness. One analogy I often use with clients is getting out of debt. In that situation, you create a budget, and set a goal of carefully thinking through your purchases, rather than buying things impulsively, or based on emotion. Food can be approached the same way. Before reaching for something, check in with your body to determine if you’re hungry. If you aren’t, think about why you want to eat–are you bored, tired, frustrated, or rebelling against a [too strict diet](http://news.health.com/2014/02/06/5-signs-youre-taking-your-diet-too-far/)? Once you’re aware of the trigger you can address it head on. And if you are hungry, consciously think through what will allow you to hit what I call the “just right” trifecta–full (but not too full), satisfied, and energized. If a food’s packaging or marketing doesn’t align with your instincts about what your body needs to feel just right, getting derailed by marketing will be easy to avoid. **Drinking alcohol–even “skinny” cocktails** I think most people have experienced a loss of inhibition with alcohol, which in turn affects food choices. Numerous clients have told me that an “ah, screw it” attitude brought on by imbibing led to digging into chips and salsa, or ordering a side of fries or dessert. A new Texas Tech University study, published the journal [_Obesity_](http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oby.21109/abstract;jsessionid=58162C4E9BE806C3617D07DE7582946B.f03t01)_,_ highlights why. Researchers found that alcohol makes women’s brains more sensitive to the smell of food, thus increasing caloric intake. In the study, 35 non-vegetarian, non-smoking healthy weight women were given either alcohol or a saline placebo intravenously prior to eating. The women’s responses to both food and non-food aromas were measured using brain scans before a meal. Scientists found that in those who received alcohol, the brain responded more to food odors, and the majority of this group–two-thirds–ate more at lunch. In short, the potential impact of alcohol on weight goes beyond the calories cocktails themselves provide. And if you typically order “skinny” drinks. the effect may be enhanced. A University of North Texas Health Science Center study found that drinks made with artificial sweetener rather than sugar resulted in an 18% greater [increase in blood alcohol concentration](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23216417). _Solution_ If you know that drinking is likely to make you want to eat more, [strategize](http://news.health.com/2013/10/24/7-ways-to-keep-alcohol-from-wrecking-your-diet/) before you take your first sip. If you’re going to a restaurant check out the menu online ahead of time, pre-decide what to order, and stick to it. Ask for a tall glass of water along with your drink to slow your pace, and keep the bread basket or chips out of arm’s reach. If you’re hosting a get together, serve up lots of healthy fare, especially finger foods that pack fewer calories for a larger volume, like cut veggies, [shrimp](http://news.health.com/2014/12/04/calories-in-shrimp/?hootPostID=03f279674cc7ee6f7db25e2b71f68975) cocktail, olives, popcorn, and [fruit](http://news.health.com/2013/06/27/fruit-isnt-making-you-fat-and-heres-why/). Even if you lose track of exactly how much you’ve eaten over the course of the party, you’ll still be less likely to rack up too many calories. **Getting married** A great deal of research shows that overall marriage is good for your health. But a new European study from University of Basel found that while married couples generally eat healthier, they tend to be less active, and [weigh significantly more](https://www.unibas.ch/en/News-Events/News/Uni-Research/Is-Marriage-Good-or-Bad-for-the-Figure-.html). The researchers compared marital status to body mass index (BMI), which measures weight in relation to height, in over 10,000 people across nine countries. In every country, couples had higher BMIs than singles–whether men or women. The differences were also small between countries, highlighting the likelihood of the connection, and research in the U.S. has shown a similar pattern. One University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill study found that women who get married in their early 20s [gain an average of 24 pounds](http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-10-22-marriage-weight%5FN.htm) in the first five years, and men in the same age group gain an average of 30 pounds. _Solution_ Whether you’re about to get hitched or you’ve been coupled for some time, you _can_ alter your weight fate. The two biggest rules of thumb: don’t use food as entertainment; and eat for _your_ body’s needs, not your partner’s. Many couples I’ve counseled fall into a rut of using food as their primary way of spending time together–going out to dinner, or for ice cream, ordering pizza, making brunch…Try mixing things up and plan activities that don’t revolve around food (go to a play, art gallery or museum, or do something active, like hiking, biking, or indoor rock climbing), or involve healthy eating (visit a farmer’s market instead of a food court). Also, if your partner is a different size, don’t mimic his or her eating habits. I’ve had numerous clients [pack on pounds](http://news.health.com/2014/01/31/5-things-not-to-say-to-your-partner-about-weight-loss/) because they started splitting meals or enjoying equal portions with a partner who had much higher calorie needs. If it’s taco night, and you don’t think you can afford to eat as much as your significant other, turn your tacos into lettuce boats and forgo some of the extras, like cheese and sour cream. Being in a relationship doesn’t have to mean eating the exact same meals or portions, or even eating at the same time. Bottom line: post-nuptial weight gain typically results from a pattern of overeating. If you can reverse that you can undo the poundage. **Frequent snacking** OK, this one may seem like a no-brainer, but many of my clients snack when they’re not hungry, sometimes because they’ve heard that eating small frequent meals is best for weight loss, and by the end of the day they’ve just simply eaten too much. A new study published in the journal [_Eating Behaviors_](https://www.qut.edu.au/news/news?news-id=91740) found that indeed, snacking in the absence of hunger can cause just as much weight gain as consuming high calorie foods or oversized portions. In the study, researchers offered volunteers a chocolate snack after they’d just eaten as much as they wanted of a similar snack food. Three quarters of the group accepted the second snack even though they should not have felt hungry. Scientists found that those who ate the most tended to be more impulsive, and were more responsive to food rewards. They also had higher BMIs, which suggests that repeated snacking in the absence of hunger is a weight gain culprit. _Solution_ I see this pattern often in my practice. When [clients submit food journals](http://news.health.com/2015/01/30/6-things-you-should-know-about-working-with-a-nutritionist-dietitian/?hootPostID=0178e9e302582d86951f41cfad61e2ce) I ask them to track their level of hunger or fullness both before and after meals and snacks, as well as their thoughts, feelings, mood, and insights. By beginning to pay attention to this, many find that they often eat when not hungry, perhaps because food was offered to them, or because they thought the snack was healthy (e.g. nuts are good for me!). Other common reasons include eating out of habit, because others are eating, or due to an emotional cue, like anxiety. If you find yourself falling into this trap, experiment with what it feels like to allow actual hunger to guide you. You’ll quickly learn how to adjust your portions and meal timing so you are physically hungry every time you eat, a pattern that can result in enjoying your food more, while simultaneously slimming you down. _Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, is Health’s contributing nutrition editor, and privately counsels clients in New York, Los Angeles, and long distance. Cynthia is currently the sports nutrition consultant to the New York Rangers NHL team and the Tampa Bay Rays MLB team, and is board certified as a specialist in sports dietetics._ [_This article originally appeared on Health.com_](http://news.health.com/2015/07/06/4-sneaky-things-that-can-make-you-overeat/) _More from Health.com:_ * [11 Ways to Pick Out Healthy Food](http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20413490,00.html?xid=time) * [7 Ways to Keep Alcohol From Ruining Your Diet](http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20757335,00.html?xid=time) * [12 Ways Your Relationship Can Hurt Your Health](http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20668163,00.html?xid=time) ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] There's something we all enjoy about staying for dinner. You ever thought why? What was on your dinner table when you were younger? Chances are it had a lot to do with, what your doctor was telling you is healthy. Building a strong healthy body is like building a strong, beautiful building. If the foundation is weak, the whole building will be weak. It takes five fingers to point the way to healthful eating habits. Well, here we go. For years, the government published dietary guidelines. Meant to keep Americans healthy. There's a great deal to learn. Tell me what you eat, and I'll tell you what you are. The body needs certain substances to live and grow. And remember, your body isn't just like an automobile. For years, the key measures of those guidelines were the same, cut fat from your diet. The committee's original report urged Americans to reduce their risk of heart attack. By reducing their intake of cholesterol down to the equivalent of about one egg a day. And those guidelines had an effect. From 1977 to 2012, per capita consumption of eggs fell by 9 %, beef by 37 %, whole milk by 72 %. Calories from saturated fat fell, while calories from supposedly safe carbohydrates increased. As one expert put it, it was a vast nutritional experiment. With nearly a million American's a year dropping dead from heart disease in the mid 80s, we had to try something. Nearly four decades later results are in. The experiment was a failure. Americans are sicker than they've ever been before. The prevalence of diabetes has gone up 157 % from 1980 to 2011. Nearly one in ten Americans now has the disease. Causing the public health system $ 245 billion a year. Heart disease is still the number one killer in the country. Americans are as obese as ever. So, what went wrong? Good old granola. Great for taste but loaded with fat. It doesn't take much of imagine a leap to assume that fat would make us fat, clog our arteries and raise the risk of heart disease. It turns out that saturated fat is a lot more complicated than we think. Carbohydrates and fats are nutrients. Like man, you need nutrients to live and grow. [ MUSIC ] Firstly, there are two kinds of cholesterol. LDL which is linked to heart disease and HDL which can be protective. Fats that course through the blood are known as triglycerides and high levels of those are linked to heart disease. Saturated fat raises LDL cholesterol but also raises HDL. Moving LDL buildup on arterial walls. So raising both, makes saturated fat a cardio wash. One key piece of information is that LDL seems to come in two forms. Large and fluffy, small and dense. Those smaller particles are linked to heart disease, while the larger ones are mostly benign. Saturated fat increases the number of large particles. The opposite happens with carbs. I don't get it. Researchers have long since discovered the kind of fats found in olives and in fish like salmon. Are actually heart protective. Now it turns out the fats found in meat and dairy, aren't as bad as we feared before. So that means by focusing so much on fats. We may actually have been making ourselves sicker. So, she brings up the subject of reduced- fat cheese. It's a fat- free [ UNKNOWN ]. Fat- free, cholesterol free. Low- fat granola. Reduced- fat Kettle chips. Reduced- fat Chips Ahoy. Lowfat cottage cheese. Non- fat yogurt is the perfect example. The thinking for consumers was simple. Fat was dangerous. This product had no fat. Therefore, it must be healthy. It's non- fat, which means less calories. [ MUSIC ] But amid the confusion about fat, we end up replacing it in our diets with sugars and carbohydrates, which meant our calorie intake was actually going up. When carbs and things like corn and white bread are ingested into your body, their converted into sugars. Those sugars convert to insulin cuz it's fat cells go into storage overdrive, leading to weight gain. Since fewer calories are then left to fill the body, you begin to feel hungry it means our metabolism begins to slow down in effort to save energy, we eat more and we gain more weight, never quite feeling full. As this process repeats, our cells become more resistant to insulin, which causes us to gain more weight, which increases insulin resistance in a vicious circle. Cut calories, and people just get hungrier. Obesity, diabetes, high triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol can all follow. Study after study has found it's very difficult to lose weight on a very low- fat diet. Possibly because fat and meat can produce a sense of satiety, that's hard to achieve with carbs, making it easier to simply stop eating. But it isn't just the increase in carbs that affects us. These processed, low saturated fat alternatives, come loaded with sugars, salt, preservatives, and even some unhealthy fats. So what's the real alternative? As one extra puts it, the cold hard truth about diet is that the only way to eat well, is to eat well. You'll be happier and you'll be healthier, if you focus on real whole foods, whether they have fat or not. Got it. 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