5 Ways to Stop Overeating

2024 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 10:50

Individuals who overeat engage in destructive behaviors that can jeopardize their health over time. Ending any kind of destructive behavior is a difficult task that requires dedication and commitment. Many people struggle to change their eating habits and end up overeating. While stopping overeating is a difficult undertaking, it is not something that is impossible to achieve. There are some simple steps you can follow to help you change these behaviors and end overeating once and for all.

Step

Method 1 of 5: Stay Away From Diets

Step 1. Stay away from fad diets that promise fast weight loss in no time

In general, losing weight too quickly is harmful to the body. While it is possible to lose up to 4.5 kg per week during the first two weeks of the diet, this is usually due to loss of water, not an indication of actual weight loss. The recommended safe amount of weight loss is 0.5 to 1 kilogram per week.

Step 2. Don't go on a diet that requires you to completely eliminate foods from your diet (such as the Atkins or Cookie Diet), or severely restricts the number of calories you consume in a day

Method 2 of 5: Watch Out for Overeating Triggers

Step 1. Avoid eating for emotional reasons

If you eat when you are depressed, lonely, angry or after a hard day, you are eating for the wrong reasons. Many people fall into the habit of relying on food to help them cope with negative emotions. To break this habit, you must first find the cause of overeating.

• Pay attention to what happens in your life when you find satisfaction with overeating. Did you have a very stressful day? Are you fighting with loved ones? Are you just feeling bored?

  

• Avoid the urge to use food as solace. If you're looking for food to make up for the effects of a bad day, take conscious action to divert yourself into activities other than eating.

Step 2. Avoid using food as a reward

Often people make the mistake of rewarding themselves with food for following a healthy eating routine for a set amount of time. Using food as a reward for following a healthy diet is counterproductive to the routine. Instead, allow yourself to enjoy special treatment once in a while for no reason at all. This will maintain your healthy eating perspective and understand self-indulgence for what it is.

Step 3. Be aware of what triggers your overeating behavior

By understanding what the triggers are, you can avoid situations that might create temptations and make it difficult for you to stay on track. If going to the movies automatically triggers you to reach for a big pack of candy and soft drinks, skip the theater and rent a movie to watch at home with a bowl of healthy snack mix and mineral water instead.

Method 3 of 5: Pay Attention to Your Body and Environment

Step 1. Eat only when you are hungry

If you eat out of the blue, not out of hunger, you are feeding your habit not what your body needs.

Step 2. Stop eating when you feel full

Most people instinctively eat what is in front of them, whether they are hungry or not.

• Learn to pay attention to hunger signals and stop eating when you feel satisfied.
• Remember that it takes almost 20 minutes for the stomach to send a signal to the brain that it is full, so eating slowly can prevent overeating.

Step 3. Pay attention to your surroundings

Pay attention to what is happening around you, maybe you realize that you are distracted by bright colors, lights, loud noises, music or lots of people, you should pay more attention to your eating habits to prevent overeating. Avoid getting so caught up with what's going on around you that you forget to put your fork down.

Step 4. Avoid lingering at the dining table because the surrounding environment distracts you

If you decide to stay for a while, make sure to get rid of the food so you're not tempted to keep eating it.

Method 4 of 5: Manage Your Portions and Eating Speed

Step 1. Think of certain objects to help you remember appropriate portion sizes

• Imagine a golf ball-sized serving of nuts, peanut butter or cheese.

  

• Think of a deck of playing cards as one serving (85 g) of meat.

  

• Think of a tennis ball as a serving of fruits and vegetables.

  

• Imagine a serving of oil and fat the size of a game dice.

  

• Think of a computer mouse as it tries to remember the size of a serving of cooked grains or potatoes.

  

Step 2. Take the time to really appreciate your food

Savor every bite and spend time savoring the flavors present in your food.

Step 3. Try to chew more of your food before swallowing it

This will force you to slow down your eating speed. Chewing more also has the added benefit of providing more nutrients and allowing you to really enjoy the taste of the food.

Method 5 of 5: Use a Simple Trick

Step 1. Use medium-sized plates when eating at home

If your plate is too small, you tend to fill it back up in a short time so that healthy portions are overlooked. If your plate is too big, you tend to fill it with food and overeat.

Step 2. Remove the serving bowl from the table while eating

Place the food on your plate and away from the serving bowl. This will help you resist the temptation to scoop extra portions onto your plate.

Step 3. Refrain from tasting food as you cook and prepare it

A little bite here and there can become a meal without you even realizing it.

Step 4. Aim to fill half your plate with healthy vegetables

If you still feel hungry after eating and you still have time, skip other foods and only add vegetables.

Step 5. Tell the waiter about the portion size before you order it

If it's a large meal for two, ask them to bring half of the meal for you and place the other half in a container to take home.

Step 6. Ask the presenter to serve you a healthy meal replacement

• Ask them not to serve bread.

  

• Ask them to serve you a salad instead of an appetizer if it's included. Be sure to remind them to put the sauce on the edges.

  

• Ask for your food to be steamed or stir-fried rather than fried in fat.

  

Step 7. Tell your presenter not to serve cheese, butter, mayonnaise, sour cream, sauces or other unhealthy ingredients

Tips

• Learning to eat more slowly will significantly increase your efforts not to overeat. If you eat too fast, your body doesn't know you're full until you actually eat too much.
• Often, the reason we eat has nothing to do with actual hunger. Learning to identify the underlying reasons for your overeating can help you develop an effective plan to combat it.
• Start preventing overeating from the start by shopping wisely. Make sure you don't go shopping on an empty stomach, because you end up just buying unnecessary junk out of hunger.
• Prepare yourself for the moment when you really have a bad time. Understand that mistakes are bound to happen sometimes and sometimes this will cause you to overeat. It is important to remember that this is only a temporary setback and will not prevent you from achieving your goals.
• Another tip is if you get hungry late at night (like 3:00) is to remind yourself that breakfast is coming soon and try to get back to sleep instead of making a peanut butter & jelly sandwich and a glass of milk. It is best not to eat late at night especially if you want to sleep again. Even if you are tempted to eat at night, try drinking three or four glasses of water. This is enough to fill you up and put you back to sleep rather than filling the body with 350 calories. A conscious feeling of hunger at night means not being able to sleep; so try using the water trick and you can go back to sleep till morning.
• Diets are strict eating rules that mostly do nothing. Most people who go on fad diets find it difficult to stay consistent, even if the weight does drop, usually ending up gaining it back after the diet stops. The reason is that to stop overeating, you need to change the way you view food and make healthy changes to your eating habits.
• A good tip is to make sure you carry a little cash with you when shopping or make sure you don't have the money for fast food. Then learn to control yourself and cook good but healthy food.
• Don't STOP eating. Consume little by little.
• Look for groups with similar interests in your area. Talk to your doctor and ask to recommend a local support program you can join.

Warning

• If you use water to fill yourself up, don't do it too often. drinking too much water at a time (more than 4 full glasses) can be bad for your health.
• Consult your doctor before making any dietary changes if you have a medical condition or are taking certain medications.