A recent scientific study conducted in the United Kingdom determined people are more honest when they are being watched. While this likely is not a surprise, the surprising part is that people also are more honest when they're being watched by a painting.
The study involved an "Honor System" in an office kitchen. Employees were to put money in a jar in exchange for a hot beverage. The researchers put a photograph of an inanimate object above the jar and recorded as employees routinely deposited less than the "suggested" drink price.
Researchers then put various photographs of eyes. All of which varied by gender, head orientation, etc., but always the eyes were focused right on the jar. This time, the deposits in the jar spiked dramatically. When eyes were watching, honesty increased.
How this relates to health and fitness: Everyone of us have sneaked a cookie or an ice cream scoop late at night and denied it to others, or even ourselves. However, if eyes are watching you, you're more likely to be honest with others and with yourself. Consider the kitchen experiment - these individuals were more honest with themselves because a pair of eyes was watching. No actual person, just a painting of eyes.
If you're struggling to maintain clean eating and have temptation in your house, at your office, in your car, then put up some eyes...to watch you. Don't paint something, or tear out a page of a magazine...try a small mirror. Tape a mirror to the back of the cabinet in which you keep the foods you're most likely to cheat with. When you open the door and grab the Oreos or Potato Chips, you'll find your eyes staring back at you. You'll not only see yourself doing what you shouldn't be doing, you'll also see what you look like when you're doing what you shouldn't be doing.
I acknowledge this sounds weird, maybe even creepy. Staring at yourself when you reach for junk food may or may not help you lose weight, but it's one more tool for the toolbox as you work so hard to get to the place you want to be.
Try this, and in a year you may say "That helped so much! I'm so glad I did it." or you might find yourself saying "That really didn't help at all! But at least I tried it". Either way, you're no worse off.
Remember, if you've got it...flaunt it. If you don't, get it with us.
