#yourjudgmentsucks

People evaluate their behavior all the time. But when it comes to health, their conclusions are based more on a feeling than an objective measurement of calories. Does the walk to get coffee really cancel out the doughnut? There’s a whole range of new tracking devices to tell us, but if we don’t listen, our judgement won’t change.

“Most people underestimate calories in large meals, even if they’re not overweight” (WebMD).

“…as Americans become more and more obese, they simply adjust their perception of what a healthy size should be” (The Atlantic).

As judgment fails, tracking is on the rise: “AT&T also sells…a physiological monitor that straps around the chest to record heart rate and other data.” (Forbes).

“One of the most popular options is Lose It, an app and Web site that allows users to pick a goal weight and a time line for reaching it, and then formulates a daily calorie count accordingly. Lose It then lets users track their eating and physical activity, which they can do by holding their phones up to a food package’s barcode, or by tapping the screen a few times at the end of a walk (the app offers a range of activity categories, including guitar strumming, household walking, and sex)” (The Atlantic).

IMPLICATIONS:
If your judgment is terrible, how should you make your health and food decisions?