Struggling to Ditch Meat? Here Are 5 Science-Backed Ways to Resist The Temptation

想要戒掉吃肉？這里有5個科學方法可以幫你抵御誘惑

Are you a conflicted carnivore – loving meat but also hating that you love it?

你是一個矛盾中的肉食動物嗎？喜歡吃肉，卻又討厭自己喜歡吃肉這一點？

Maybe you're ashamed of all the wasted water and food that goes into meat production and the deforestation and damaging emissions caused by animal agriculture.

可能你是舍不得那些浪費在肉類生產中的水和食物，以及由動物農業造成的去森林化和有害泄露。

Many of us also simply struggle to accept the justifications used to defend the killing of intelligent, emotionally sensitive animals.

而我們當中還有一些人，單純就是覺得不能接受對那些有智力、有感覺的動物進行屠殺。

You wouldn't be alone – initial findings recently presented at a conference suggests that more than 30 percent of meat eaters in the US, Germany and France are conflicted about eating animals.

你不是一個人，最近在一次大會上公布的發現指出：美國、德國、法國人中30%的肉食者都對吃肉感到矛盾。

Here are five ways in which psychology may be able to help.

而這有5個心理學方法可以幫到你。

1. Be prepared

做好準備

Most of our eating is mindless, meaning it is governed by habits, rituals and what is available.

我們的大多數進食行為是不經過大腦的，意思是，它們完全受習慣、儀式所控制，或者僅僅是有什么就吃什么。

Our power to overcome temptation depends on us first identifying that there is a conflict we need to address.

如果我們要抵抗誘惑，那我們首先得認識到這有個問題需要解決。

One way to counteract mindless eating then is to prepare ourselves for an upcoming temptation.

而我們對抗這種無意識進食的方法，就是為馬上要到來的誘惑做好心理準備。

One way of doing this would be to look at the restaurant menu online before you arrive and determining what to order.

其中一種辦法就是，在去餐廳之前，先查好餐廳的菜，并決定好你要點什么。

2. Try mindful eating

試試全神貫注地吃

The opposite of mindless eating might be called "mindful" eating.

無意識進食的反面被稱為“有意地”吃。

This means placing greater attention on food-related thoughts and cravings as they arise.

這意味著，在有關食物的想法和欲望出現時，就將額外的注意力放在上面。

The mindfulness training involved paying attention to various parts of the body for arising sensations, and attending to food-related thoughts and cravings – noticing them but not acting on them.

這種全神貫注的訓練包括將注意力施加在身體各部位的感官上，并注意關于食物的想法和欲望，單純只是注意它們，而不是對它們采取行動。

3. Broaden your outlook

將眼界放開

Another trick from the psychology of self control is to adopt a wider mental frame.

另一個關于自控的心理學技術就是：用更宏觀的視野來看問題。

For example, you may want to think about all the meals you will eat or all the animal lives you will save in your lifetime.

比如，你可以想象你這輩子會吃下的所有食物，或是你這輩子通過不吃肉能拯救的動物。

Setting aside fish and seafood, that's about 30 lives per year for the average American.

撇開魚和海鮮不談，對于一般的美國人來講那就是1年30頭。

Wide mental frames help us cast our momentary choices within the larger goals we have for ourselves, such as helping the planet or helping animals.

更宏觀的思維模式能讓我們把自己的支出問題聯系到更宏大的目標上，比如拯救地球或者幫助動物。

4. Picture the animals

想象那些動物

People currently avoiding meat tend to have a richer understanding of the cognitive and emotional capabilities of farmed animals – for example, they understand that pigs, like humans and dogs, have sophisticated emotional lives.

那些現在已經不吃肉的人一般對動物的認知和情感有更深的了解——比如，他們知道豬像人和狗一樣，擁有復雜的情感生活。

They also are quick to connect the meat on the plate with the once-living animal source. When they see meat – they see an animal.

他們也能很快地把盤中的肉和曾經活著的動物聯系起來。當他們看見肉的時候，他們看見的是動物。

We know from recent studies that connecting meat to animals or animal suffering can spoil appetites.

從最近的研究中我們已經得知：把肉和動物的痛苦聯系起來，能夠倒胃口。

For example, many people find roast pork tasty, but much less tasty when the pork comes with a pig's head on the plate.

比如，很多人都覺得烤豬肉很可口，但如果這個肉是從盤中的豬頭上取下來的，那胃口就小多了。

5. Find sympathetic friends

尋找有同情心的朋友

Many people who have given up being vegetarian say that they struggled to find a supportive network of like-minded eaters.

很多放棄做素食主義者的人都說，他們曾為尋找志同道合的人而掙扎過。

But it's likely that some of your friends may have similar levels of discomfort with meat as you.

但其實你的朋友中很有可能就有和你想法相近的人。

So don't fall into the trap of assuming you're alone.

所以，不要以為你是孤身一人。

And when dining with less amenable friends, you might scout out restaurants that integrate vegetarian options into their menus.

而當你和不那么有社會責任心的朋友出去時，你可以試試找那些菜單中有素食選項的餐廳。

This will avoid splintering the group into opposing pro and anti-meat factions.

這可以防止將一組人分化為吃肉和反吃肉的對立陣營。

In addition, some research suggests it might increase the chances of everyone ordering a meat-free meal.

而且，有些研究還表明：這可能可以增加每個人點素食菜肴的機會。

Struggling to Ditch Meat? Here Are 5 Science-Backed Ways to Resist The Temptation

想要戒掉吃肉？這里有5個科學方法可以幫你抵御誘惑

Are you a conflicted carnivore – loving meat but also hating that you love it?

你是一個矛盾中的肉食動物嗎？喜歡吃肉，卻又討厭自己喜歡吃肉這一點？

Maybe you're ashamed of all the wasted water and food that goes into meat production and the deforestation and damaging emissions caused by animal agriculture.

可能你是舍不得那些浪費在肉類生產中的水和食物，以及由動物農業造成的去森林化和有害泄露。

Many of us also simply struggle to accept the justifications used to defend the killing of intelligent, emotionally sensitive animals.

而我們當中還有一些人，單純就是覺得不能接受對那些有智力、有感覺的動物進行屠殺。

You wouldn't be alone – initial findings recently presented at a conference suggests that more than 30 percent of meat eaters in the US, Germany and France are conflicted about eating animals.

你不是一個人，最近在一次大會上公布的發現指出：美國、德國、法國人中30%的肉食者都對吃肉感到矛盾。

Here are five ways in which psychology may be able to help.

而這有5個心理學方法可以幫到你。

1. Be prepared

做好準備

Most of our eating is mindless, meaning it is governed by habits, rituals and what is available.

我們的大多數進食行為是不經過大腦的，意思是，它們完全受習慣、儀式所控制，或者僅僅是有什么就吃什么。

Our power to overcome temptation depends on us first identifying that there is a conflict we need to address.

如果我們要抵抗誘惑，那我們首先得認識到這有個問題需要解決。

One way to counteract mindless eating then is to prepare ourselves for an upcoming temptation.

而我們對抗這種無意識進食的方法，就是為馬上要到來的誘惑做好心理準備。

One way of doing this would be to look at the restaurant menu online before you arrive and determining what to order.

其中一種辦法就是，在去餐廳之前，先查好餐廳的菜，并決定好你要點什么。

2. Try mindful eating

試試全神貫注地吃

The opposite of mindless eating might be called "mindful" eating.

無意識進食的反面被稱為“有意地”吃。

This means placing greater attention on food-related thoughts and cravings as they arise.

這意味著，在有關食物的想法和欲望出現時，就將額外的注意力放在上面。

The mindfulness training involved paying attention to various parts of the body for arising sensations, and attending to food-related thoughts and cravings – noticing them but not acting on them.

這種全神貫注的訓練包括將注意力施加在身體各部位的感官上，并注意關于食物的想法和欲望，單純只是注意它們，而不是對它們采取行動。

3. Broaden your outlook

將眼界放開

Another trick from the psychology of self control is to adopt a wider mental frame.

另一個關于自控的心理學技術就是：用更宏觀的視野來看問題。

For example, you may want to think about all the meals you will eat or all the animal lives you will save in your lifetime.

比如，你可以想象你這輩子會吃下的所有食物，或是你這輩子通過不吃肉能拯救的動物。

Setting aside fish and seafood, that's about 30 lives per year for the average American.

撇開魚和海鮮不談，對于一般的美國人來講那就是1年30頭。

Wide mental frames help us cast our momentary choices within the larger goals we have for ourselves, such as helping the planet or helping animals.

更宏觀的思維模式能讓我們把自己的支出問題聯系到更宏大的目標上，比如拯救地球或者幫助動物。

4. Picture the animals

想象那些動物

People currently avoiding meat tend to have a richer understanding of the cognitive and emotional capabilities of farmed animals – for example, they understand that pigs, like humans and dogs, have sophisticated emotional lives.

那些現在已經不吃肉的人一般對動物的認知和情感有更深的了解——比如，他們知道豬像人和狗一樣，擁有復雜的情感生活。

They also are quick to connect the meat on the plate with the once-living animal source. When they see meat – they see an animal.

他們也能很快地把盤中的肉和曾經活著的動物聯系起來。當他們看見肉的時候，他們看見的是動物。

We know from recent studies that connecting meat to animals or animal suffering can spoil appetites.

從最近的研究中我們已經得知：把肉和動物的痛苦聯系起來，能夠倒胃口。

For example, many people find roast pork tasty, but much less tasty when the pork comes with a pig's head on the plate.

比如，很多人都覺得烤豬肉很可口，但如果這個肉是從盤中的豬頭上取下來的，那胃口就小多了。

5. Find sympathetic friends

尋找有同情心的朋友

Many people who have given up being vegetarian say that they struggled to find a supportive network of like-minded eaters.

很多放棄做素食主義者的人都說，他們曾為尋找志同道合的人而掙扎過。

But it's likely that some of your friends may have similar levels of discomfort with meat as you.

但其實你的朋友中很有可能就有和你想法相近的人。

So don't fall into the trap of assuming you're alone.

所以，不要以為你是孤身一人。

And when dining with less amenable friends, you might scout out restaurants that integrate vegetarian options into their menus.

而當你和不那么有社會責任心的朋友出去時，你可以試試找那些菜單中有素食選項的餐廳。

This will avoid splintering the group into opposing pro and anti-meat factions.

這可以防止將一組人分化為吃肉和反吃肉的對立陣營。

In addition, some research suggests it might increase the chances of everyone ordering a meat-free meal.

而且，有些研究還表明：這可能可以增加每個人點素食菜肴的機會。