According to new research out of the University of East Anglia, looking on the sunny side could help you eat healthier.
For the study, which surveyed the dietary habits of 1,125 adults, people with a positive outlook (aka, ‘promotion focus’) were more likely to have good nutritional habits than those with a negative outlook (or ‘prevention focus’).
RELATED: 10 Weight Loss Strategies That Actually Worked For Real People
This is because the former group were focused on pursuing and engaging in healthy behaviours rather than simply avoiding unhealthy behaviours. This, the study’s authors explain, “makes people more likely to devote attention to their nutritional needs.” These participants also showed a greater interest in seeking out nutrition knowledge, which in turn, lead to them adjusting their diets for the better.
Bottom line? Consciously choosing to think about all the beneficial things you can do for your body (eating more greens, drinking more water,) rather than getting stuck on the things you should go without (e.g. that second helping of dessert), could result in better eating habits in the long-run.
The magical powers of the mind, eh?!
