Why can eating still be difficult when you know what to do?
Knowing the calories in a food doesn’t necessarily change how much you want it. A tempting smell, a familiar favorite, or a table full of choices can affect eating before you’ve given the decision much thought.
Dr. Roberts describes five food instincts that help explain these experiences. They provide the framework for iDiet’s menus and behavioral education.
Five instincts working together
Hunger makes us seek food and makes it difficult to ignore.
Availability describes the influence of food being present and within reach.
Variety helps explain why another option can remain appealing after we’ve enjoyed the first.
Calorie density concerns the attraction of foods rich in calories.
Familiarity draws us toward foods and eating experiences we know.
The value of this framework is in the connections. Hunger, tempting surroundings, and familiar habits can affect the same eating decision. Addressing just one may leave the others making the plan difficult to follow.
In iDiet, the menus address the food itself. The education also covers preferences, the seven core habits, and habit loops. Participants learn how to work with the patterns around eating as they practice using the plan.
A free five-part video introduction to the science, the food, and the method.
Keep the 5 instincts handy
The opening pages of A Taste of iDiet introduce the five food instincts. The recipes give you a closer look at the food developed with them in mind.
Enjoyment is important
Why the iDiet includes bread, chocolate cake, and cookies.
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