Comments on: Calorie Learning: First Results http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/03/05/calorie-learning-first-results/ Self-Experimentation, Scientific Method, the Shangri-La Diet, etc. Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:48:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: Matt Goff http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/03/05/calorie-learning-first-results/#comment-136234 Sat, 08 Mar 2008 20:11:44 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/03/05/calorie-learning-first-results/#comment-136234 I've noticed what I suspect is the same effect with the flavored Wheat Thins. When I eat Parmesan Basil or the Tomato Basil crackers for the first time after a long break, I don't care for the taste (though I don't find it horrible). Usually I eat a few more anyway because they're convenient, and I find they seem to taste much better. Before long, I have a hard time not eating them because they taste so good. This experience has been consistent every time I've eaten them (which isn't very often), and before reading about Calorie Learning, I didn't have a good theory for why it worked that way. One thing I wonder about is whether it would be possible to use this idea to develop tastes for foods that I feel like it would be worth liking. I'm thinking in particular of locally produced foods that would be good to eat for a variety of reasons, but I'm not so thrilled with the taste. Also, given that the Wheat Thin flavor seems to reset after some period of time, I wonder if it's even possible to make the Calorie Learning-based perception of good flavor permanent (by which I mean the perception that they taste good remains even if there is a significant gap between times of consumption or the fast calories disappear, but the flavored (s)low calorie food remains). I’ve noticed what I suspect is the same effect with the flavored Wheat Thins. When I eat Parmesan Basil or the Tomato Basil crackers for the first time after a long break, I don’t care for the taste (though I don’t find it horrible). Usually I eat a few more anyway because they’re convenient, and I find they seem to taste much better. Before long, I have a hard time not eating them because they taste so good. This experience has been consistent every time I’ve eaten them (which isn’t very often), and before reading about Calorie Learning, I didn’t have a good theory for why it worked that way.

One thing I wonder about is whether it would be possible to use this idea to develop tastes for foods that I feel like it would be worth liking. I’m thinking in particular of locally produced foods that would be good to eat for a variety of reasons, but I’m not so thrilled with the taste. Also, given that the Wheat Thin flavor seems to reset after some period of time, I wonder if it’s even possible to make the Calorie Learning-based perception of good flavor permanent (by which I mean the perception that they taste good remains even if there is a significant gap between times of consumption or the fast calories disappear, but the flavored (s)low calorie food remains).

]]> by: LemmusLemmus http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/03/05/calorie-learning-first-results/#comment-135278 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 21:10:30 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/03/05/calorie-learning-first-results/#comment-135278 I forgot: c) on the knowledge that liking a food is subjective - there is no objective measure, so you'll have to rate, and in this respect b) comes into play. I forgot:

c) on the knowledge that liking a food is subjective - there is no objective measure, so you’ll have to rate, and in this respect b) comes into play.

]]> by: LemmusLemmus http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/03/05/calorie-learning-first-results/#comment-135273 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:44:35 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/03/05/calorie-learning-first-results/#comment-135273 a) on the general knowledge of the placebo effect b) on the knowledge that you know which results you want to find Granted, "danger" may be too strong a word. Nobody's going to get hurt. a) on the general knowledge of the placebo effect

b) on the knowledge that you know which results you want to find

Granted, “danger” may be too strong a word. Nobody’s going to get hurt.

]]> by: seth http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/03/05/calorie-learning-first-results/#comment-134827 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 01:49:18 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/03/05/calorie-learning-first-results/#comment-134827 "very very big danger" -- on what do you base this belief? “very very big danger” — on what do you base this belief?

]]> by: LemmusLemmus http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/03/05/calorie-learning-first-results/#comment-134786 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:53:17 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2008/03/05/calorie-learning-first-results/#comment-134786 Just in case nobody's pointed it out yet, I think that in this experiment there is a very, very big danger of reuslts being marred by the placebo effect. Yes, I know you're a bit of a skeptic in this respect. But you wouldn't dispute it exissts, would you? That's not to say the experiment isn't interesting; it certainly is and I'm going to follow it. Just in case nobody’s pointed it out yet, I think that in this experiment there is a very, very big danger of reuslts being marred by the placebo effect. Yes, I know you’re a bit of a skeptic in this respect. But you wouldn’t dispute it exissts, would you?

That’s not to say the experiment isn’t interesting; it certainly is and I’m going to follow it.

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