Do you struggle with overeating? If so, there could be many reasons for this that you may not have considered. Overeating can be caused by several ingrained habits that lead to undesirable outcomes (such as weight gain), which then can lead to serious medical and emotional challenges.
Instead of beating yourself up when you overindulge, why not begin to look at things from a different angle? Many habits tend to undermine a healthy lifestyle. Consider these 10 tips to determine what you will want to do differently.
Consider These Eating Habits that May Prevent Overeating:
- Start your day with a hearty breakfast. Beginning your day with a full, healthy breakfast is an important strategy for curbing the overeating habit. Research shows that people who skip breakfast, or eat a skimpy breakfast tend to be overweight, snack throughout the day, and overeat later in the day.
- Reduce your meal portions. If your plate tends to look mountainous, you may want to consider doing things differently to avoid overindulging. Ensure you have plenty of fruit or vegetables at each meal, and cut down on fatty and heavily refined food. You could also resist the urge to go back for “seconds.”
- Avoid snacking. It is impossible to walk into a grocery store without seeing snacks everywhere. Snacking has become as common as breathing. Overeating is not only about eating too much at one meal, it is also about eating too often in a day. The snacking habit not only overworks your digestive organs but also contributes to excess weight gain.
- Eat at regular times. A lot of overeating happens because of eating at irregular times, and eating when you’re busy with something else like watching television. By committing to eating at regularly scheduled times, and avoiding snacks you can reduce the tendency to overeat.
- Slow down. Remember that digestion starts in the mouth. So it is important to chew your food thoroughly before swallowing it. Slowing down your eating pace may also signal your brain that you’re full, which could reduce the amount of food that you feel needs to be satisfied.
- Eliminate artificial sweeteners. Studies have shown that artificial sweeteners, like aspartame and saccharin, are associated with increased subjective hunger and a heightened motivation to eat. Consider moderate use of more natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, and stevia.
Consider These Other Lifestyle Habits that May Prevent Overeating:
- Exercise more. Studies show that exercise is associated with decreased desire for food and calorie intake. Exercise also reduces the severity of depression and anxiety which appears to reduce episodes of binge eating.
- Get adequate sleep. A lack of sleep can disrupt the hormones leptin and ghrelin, which regulate appetite. When you don’t get adequate sleep, leptin decreases, and ghrelin increases, which can lead to increased hunger and weight gain. Aim for 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night, and try to get to bed at the same time every night—ideally a couple of hours before midnight or earlier.
- Avoid emotional eating. People who eat for emotional reasons are at an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other serious medical conditions. Instead of using food to bring comfort try reading or watching something inspirational, exercising, talking with a trained professional, or seeking help from your faith community.
- Socialize wisely. We tend to eat more when we have company or visit family or friends. Be intentional when enjoying holiday dinners or other social get-togethers where the food is plentiful. Try to find a partner who eats healthy, so you can support each other.
Finding a lasting solution to overeating should begin with understanding why you do so. Knowing the “why” you overeat will give you the motivation and determination to stick with healthier lifestyle (including eating) habits. Adopt these tips and prepare to be amazed at how good you will begin to feel and look.