Few people want to put on extra pounds  or boost their risk of heart disease, diabetes, or cancer. So why can't we just turn away?

"We have a shockingly limited capacity to make thoughtful, mindful decisions about what we eat," says Deborah Cohen, senior researcher at the RAND Corporation. " Instead, eating happens without our full awareness."

Modifying your eating habits may be more sustainable than trying to change them completely. Adding lower calorie foods such as plain fruits and vegetables can make limiting higher calorie foods easier  to limit.