In this case, our body fights even harder than normal to stop us from losing fat. (Scientists are still researching exactly how and why our bodies do this.) Hyperpalatable, highly rewarding foods are often the most readily available. Tasty-fun food-crack deliciousness bombs (aka manufactured deliciousness) are everywhere. Today, these are the top 6 sources of calories in the U.S.: Grain-based desserts (cakes, cookies, donuts, pies, crisps, cobblers, and granola bars) Yeast bread, Chicken and chicken mixed dishes (and we don’t mean chicken breasts — think chicken fingers, chicken nuggets, and chicken alfredo).

Soda, energy drinks, and sports drinks, Pizza, Alcoholic beverages, and  Fast food now makes up 11 percent of the average American’s energy intake. We now drink 350 percent more soft drinks than we did 50 years ago. Soybean oil (largely used in highly-processed foods) accounts for 8 percent of all calories that Americans consume. All of this, of course, makes perfect sense. If you’re a food company, you want people to eat your food.

How do you do that?

Engineer the food to be extra-rewarding and hard to stop eating. People eat more, and buy more, and then lie awake at night thinking about how they could totally go for an ice cream sundae with sprinkles right now… If you’re a savvy marketer, you might also invent new opportunities for people to eat. Like… at movies. In the car. “Snacktime” before, during, and after school. In front of the TV.

At sports events. Before, during, and after workouts. Late at night (which is usually where processed foods excel). And so on. Social norms and our environment also affect where, when, how, and how much we eat. Now that food and food cues are everywhere, all the time, it’s hard to avoid wanting to eat, and hard to know when to stop eating.