What stands between you and eating your most tempting food? Probably less than thirty seconds—and that’s the problem. A Cochrane review found that even small distances (20 cm vs. 70 cm) meaningfully reduce consumption, operating through nonconscious processes before willpower even enters the picture.
This companion explores why effort matters, the brain’s economic calculation, what counts as an effort barrier (distance, opacity, preparation, portioning), and the asymmetry principle for making healthy eating the path of least resistance. (3 min read)