treat ... as ...

Studies regarding our habits of eating our found that, when we eat out, we tend to understanding the number of calories we consume by up to half. When we eat in a relaxing, candle-lit restaurant, we tend to enjoy our food longer even if we are full. Dining with friends also contrivutes to consuming more calories. Researchers found that womem who dined with two or three friends ate 700 calories on average, double that of solo diners. Our psychology is another factor in the consumption of calories. A waiter who greeted customers with the question, "What are we celebrating tonight?" got more orders than waiters who didn't. Therefore, if you treat dining as a special occasion, you're more likely to eat more.

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