<p>We obsess over diets, fasting, and weight-loss drugs in the name of health. But we rarely ask a more important question: what kind of eating actually makes us happier?</p><p>In this episode of <em>Office Hours</em>, I explore what the science say about the relationship between food and well-being. Eating gives us pleasure, but meals bring deeper enjoyment when they also combine people and memories. I explore what that means in practice along with seven other practical rules for “happy eating.”</p><p>In the end, happiness at the table depends less on the food than the company. As my Spanish wife likes to say: the point of eating is not the food—it’s the love.</p><p>—</p><p><strong>Brought to you by:</strong></p><p>• <a href="https://davidprotein.com/arthur⁠⁠" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><strong>David Protein</strong></a>—The most effective portable protein on the planet <a href="https://davidprotein.com/arthur ">⁠⁠https://davidprotein.com/arthur⁠</a></p><p>• <a href="https://noblemobile.com/arthurbrooks" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠<strong>Noble Mobile</strong>⁠⁠</a>—With Noble, there is only one plan: The No-Bull Plan. It’s simple. It’s transparent. And if you use less data, you get cash back. Get an exclusive offer at: <a href="https://noblemobile.com/arthurbrooks" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠https://noblemobile.com/arthurbrooks⁠⁠</a> </p><p>—</p><p><strong>Where to find Arthur Brooks: </strong></p><p>• Website: <a href="https://arthurbrooks.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://arthurbrooks.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>• In-person Retreats: <a href="https://retreats.arthurbrooks.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠https://retreats.arthurbrooks.com/⁠⁠</a> </p><p>• Newsletter: <a href="https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> </p><p>• X: <a href="https://x.com/arthurbrooks" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/arthurbrooks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>• Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>• Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>• YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>• LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>• Email: <a href="mailto:officehours@arthurbrooks.com" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠officehours@arthurbrooks.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>—</p><p><strong>Timestamps:</strong></p><p>(00:00) Intro</p><p>(09:55) Why eating is pleasurable—and why pleasure alone does not create happiness</p><p>(13:56) Two ways to turn pleasure into enjoyment</p><p>(17:12) How both positive and negative emotions influence eating</p><p>(18:43) Why eating moderately often is linked to greater happiness</p><p>(22:14) Dietary patterns associated with greater happiness</p><p>(25:19) What the research shows about alcohol and well-being</p><p>(28:16) Junk food’s impact on mood and well-being</p><p>(30:08) The pros and cons of a vegetarian diet</p><p>(32:19) Why crash diets are bad for your well-being and happiness</p><p>(35:59) Time-restricted eating and GLP-1 drugs</p><p>(37:13) #1: Balance across a variety of foods</p><p>(37:46) #2: Emphasize proteins and fats</p><p>(37:58) #3: Avoid junk food and refined sweets</p><p>(38:11) #4: Moderate alcohol consumption</p><p>(38:24) #5: No recreational drinking</p><p>(38:34) #6: Avoid obesity without starving yourself</p><p>(38:49) #7: Organized, regular, formal meal times</p><p>(39:00) #8: Meals in the company of others</p><p>(40:19) Q&amp;A: The neuroscience behind how books affect our brains</p><p>(42:53) Q&amp;A: Leisure vs. Sabbath </p><p>—</p><p><strong>Referenced:</strong> </p><p>• <em>The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness</em>:<a href="http://themeaningofyourlife.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="http://themeaningofyourlife.com" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">themeaningofyourlife.com</a></p><p>• Meaning Membership:<a href="https://hub.arthurbrooks.com/the-meaning-membership" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"> https://hub.arthurbrooks.com/the-meaning-membership</a> </p><p>• Arthur’s newsletter:<a href="https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"> https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter</a> </p><p>• The Happiness Scale:<a href="https://learn.arthurbrooks.com/the-happiness-scale" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"> https://learn.arthurbrooks.com/the-happiness-scale</a> </p><p>• <em>The Pursuit of Happiness with Arthur Brooks</em>:<a href="https://www.thefp.com/s/the-pursuit-of-happiness-with-arthur" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"> https://www.thefp.com/s/the-pursuit-of-happiness-with-arthur</a></p><p>• The pleasure of food: underlying brain mechanisms of eating and other pleasures: <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13411-014-0029-2" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13411-014-0029-2</a></p><p>• Health, Happiness and Eating Together: What Can a Large Thai Cohort Study Tell Us?: <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4802060" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4802060</a></p><p>• ...References continued at: <a href="https://www.arthurbrooks.com/office-hours" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arthurbrooks.com/office-hours⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>—</p><p>Production and marketing by ⁠<a href="https://penname.co/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://penname.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>⁠. </p>

Office Hours with Arthur Brooks

Arthur Brooks

The Diet Protocols for Happiness

MAY 25, 202645 MIN
Office Hours with Arthur Brooks

The Diet Protocols for Happiness

MAY 25, 202645 MIN

Description

<p>We obsess over diets, fasting, and weight-loss drugs in the name of health. But we rarely ask a more important question: what kind of eating actually makes us happier?</p><p>In this episode of <em>Office Hours</em>, I explore what the science say about the relationship between food and well-being. Eating gives us pleasure, but meals bring deeper enjoyment when they also combine people and memories. I explore what that means in practice along with seven other practical rules for “happy eating.”</p><p>In the end, happiness at the table depends less on the food than the company. As my Spanish wife likes to say: the point of eating is not the food—it’s the love.</p><p>—</p><p><strong>Brought to you by:</strong></p><p>• <a href="https://davidprotein.com/arthur⁠⁠" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer"><strong>David Protein</strong></a>—The most effective portable protein on the planet <a href="https://davidprotein.com/arthur ">⁠⁠https://davidprotein.com/arthur⁠</a></p><p>• <a href="https://noblemobile.com/arthurbrooks" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠<strong>Noble Mobile</strong>⁠⁠</a>—With Noble, there is only one plan: The No-Bull Plan. It’s simple. It’s transparent. And if you use less data, you get cash back. Get an exclusive offer at: <a href="https://noblemobile.com/arthurbrooks" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠https://noblemobile.com/arthurbrooks⁠⁠</a> </p><p>—</p><p><strong>Where to find Arthur Brooks: </strong></p><p>• Website: <a href="https://arthurbrooks.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://arthurbrooks.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>• In-person Retreats: <a href="https://retreats.arthurbrooks.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠https://retreats.arthurbrooks.com/⁠⁠</a> </p><p>• Newsletter: <a href="https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a> </p><p>• X: <a href="https://x.com/arthurbrooks" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/arthurbrooks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>• Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>• Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>• YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>• LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>• Email: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>—</p><p><strong>Timestamps:</strong></p><p>(00:00) Intro</p><p>(09:55) Why eating is pleasurable—and why pleasure alone does not create happiness</p><p>(13:56) Two ways to turn pleasure into enjoyment</p><p>(17:12) How both positive and negative emotions influence eating</p><p>(18:43) Why eating moderately often is linked to greater happiness</p><p>(22:14) Dietary patterns associated with greater happiness</p><p>(25:19) What the research shows about alcohol and well-being</p><p>(28:16) Junk food’s impact on mood and well-being</p><p>(30:08) The pros and cons of a vegetarian diet</p><p>(32:19) Why crash diets are bad for your well-being and happiness</p><p>(35:59) Time-restricted eating and GLP-1 drugs</p><p>(37:13) #1: Balance across a variety of foods</p><p>(37:46) #2: Emphasize proteins and fats</p><p>(37:58) #3: Avoid junk food and refined sweets</p><p>(38:11) #4: Moderate alcohol consumption</p><p>(38:24) #5: No recreational drinking</p><p>(38:34) #6: Avoid obesity without starving yourself</p><p>(38:49) #7: Organized, regular, formal meal times</p><p>(39:00) #8: Meals in the company of others</p><p>(40:19) Q&amp;A: The neuroscience behind how books affect our brains</p><p>(42:53) Q&amp;A: Leisure vs. Sabbath </p><p>—</p><p><strong>Referenced:</strong> </p><p>• <em>The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness</em>:<a href="http://themeaningofyourlife.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"> </a><a href="http://themeaningofyourlife.com" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">themeaningofyourlife.com</a></p><p>• Meaning Membership:<a href="https://hub.arthurbrooks.com/the-meaning-membership" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"> https://hub.arthurbrooks.com/the-meaning-membership</a> </p><p>• Arthur’s newsletter:<a href="https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"> https://www.arthurbrooks.com/newsletter</a> </p><p>• The Happiness Scale:<a href="https://learn.arthurbrooks.com/the-happiness-scale" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"> https://learn.arthurbrooks.com/the-happiness-scale</a> </p><p>• <em>The Pursuit of Happiness with Arthur Brooks</em>:<a href="https://www.thefp.com/s/the-pursuit-of-happiness-with-arthur" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer"> https://www.thefp.com/s/the-pursuit-of-happiness-with-arthur</a></p><p>• The pleasure of food: underlying brain mechanisms of eating and other pleasures: <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13411-014-0029-2" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13411-014-0029-2</a></p><p>• Health, Happiness and Eating Together: What Can a Large Thai Cohort Study Tell Us?: <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4802060" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4802060</a></p><p>• ...References continued at: <a href="https://www.arthurbrooks.com/office-hours" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.arthurbrooks.com/office-hours⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a></p><p>—</p><p>Production and marketing by ⁠<a href="https://penname.co/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://penname.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠</a>⁠. </p>