The Mind-Mouth Gap

Here’s a funny, depressing, but fixable statistic: According to the September 2008 Berkeley Wellness Letter, we Americans are terrible at accurately remembering what we put in our mouths. They report that the average person underestimates their food intake by 800 calories per day.

Whoa! That’s enough to pack on the pounds and hamper the best intentions for weight loss. It only takes 3500 excess calories to make a pound of fat.

This helps explain why people who measure and record their food get much better results. If you are struggling to lose weight, get out your measuring cup and re-commit to your food journal, at least for a few days, to make sure you aren’t mis-estimating.

Be especially mindful of the calorie-dense foods, like oils, butter, nuts, cheese and baked goods. These foods can add loads of calories in just a few easily-forgotten bites.