Mind over matter when it comes to metabolism?

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hkristine1
hkristine1 Posts: 950 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Did anyone else hear the story on NPR this morning that featured a psychologist who did a test that showed that if you believe you're drinking a calorie-laden, rich and satisfying shake, your body actually responds as if it has received enough calories and boosts metabolism, as opposed to someone who believes he is drinking a "diet" milkshake with 1/3 the calories? That person's body remains in a low-metabolism state? (the reality is that both were drinking the same shake but the BELIEF changed the body's response).

CRAZY!!!! I mean, I totally get mind-body connection stuff, but it just really makes me believe, more firmly, that those fad diets (e.g. low-calorie meals / shakes / snack bars) or the idea of only eating salads, etc. are not helpful...

I'd rather eat a calorie-rich meal of food that has "real" nutrients (instead of laboratory-concocted ones), and I really do think it is the key to success.

I found the story super interesting.

Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,579 Member
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    Nah. I believe one can elevate one's heart rate and possibly manipulate an adrenaline rush by thought or visual stimulation, but visually drinking a calorie laden shake? Nah.

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  • nancy10272004
    nancy10272004 Posts: 277 Member
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    My mind believes in the mind-body connection but, unfortunately, my pancreas doesn't.

    Did they say what the subjects were like? Were they fairly young (<45) people, not on medication and without known metabolic issues?
  • hkristine1
    hkristine1 Posts: 950 Member
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    Nah. I believe one can elevate one's heart rate and possibly manipulate an adrenaline rush by thought or visual stimulation, but visually drinking a calorie laden shake? Nah.

    Whoops. I guess I wasn't clear. People actually drank the shakes!! It's just that some of the shakes had labels that said "Rich, luxurious, satisfying" etc. and said they had 600+ calories...

    The other group (drinking the exact same thing) drank a shake with a "Low-cal" label, saying the shake only had about 120 calories, no fat, etc.

    The true caloric value of the shake was about 300.

    The two groups body's responded differently in production of the hormone that instructs the body to raise/lower metabolism.
  • hkristine1
    hkristine1 Posts: 950 Member
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    My mind believes in the mind-body connection but, unfortunately, my pancreas doesn't.

    Did they say what the subjects were like? Were they fairly young (<45) people, not on medication and without known metabolic issues?

    The report didn't go into that kind of detail. If I get a few minutes this afternoon, I might try to find more info on the study. It was really interesting.

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