10 Science-Backed Steps to Eat Less and Weigh Less with “Whole Person”

Could nourishing ourselves multi-dimensionally — physically, emotionally, spiritually and socially — give us the scientifically sound nourishment we need to lose weight and keep it off?

- By Deborah Kesten, MPH

If you’ve ever lost and then regained weight, what’s the best way to curb overeating and keep weight off for good? Rather than starting yet another diet, try tasting, really tasting your food. Or meditating for a moment before eating. Or dining in pleasant environs. In other words, think outside the diet.

Welcome to the world of overeating research!

My original research on Whole Person Integrative Eating® (WPIE)1-3 reveals the underlying reasons we overeat and gain weight. At the same time, it unlocks some truly remarkable ways to overcome overeating and up the odds of attaining and maintaining weight loss—by nourishing yourself physically, but also emotionally, spiritually, and socially. Here are 10 science-backed tips—from my overeating research on WPIE and that of others—that could lead to sustainable freedom from overeating and being overweight.

1. Choose chocolate.

Chocolate might remind you of something you’d like to overeat—but don’t write of chocolate just yet as a (heavenly) food that could help you lose weight. In a study published in Archives of Internal Medicine,â´ researchers showed it’s possible to eat chocolate and weigh less if you choose the right