How can we stop overeating?

If you are trying to lose weight and you are not losing weight, you are likely still overeating. How can we stop overeating? Here are some hints:

Track Your Food

 

Tracking the food you eat is the first step to stop overeating. Use a food journal as a starter approach to monitor your eating habits.

 

Use a Food Scale

This is probably the single most important item on the list. You have no idea how much you are actually eating unless you are weighing your food. Weigh all of the food you eat to make sure you know exactly how much you are consuming.

 

Don't Eat at Night

 

A late night snack is usually an impulse craving and will be the calories that you did not plan or budget for, resulting in overeating for the day.

Avoid Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners in diet soda actually trick us into overeating by confusing the brain. It is best to avoid these altogether.

Eat Breakfast

A study found that people who ate breakfast were less likely to overeat later in the day.

Eat raw, wholesome Food

When you eat real, whole foods you will be getting a more nutrient rich, fiber packed meal that will help you achieve a feeling of satiety much earlier.

Don't Eat in Front of the TV

Being distracted when you eat can lead you to eat more than you intend to. You might simply snack until an episode is over or simply not realize you are full when focusing on a show instead of your body. A study showed that attentive eating is a simple but effective approach for weight loss and maintenance. 

Turn Off the TV

In addition, there is a lot of food tempting you when you watch TV. Watching food related TV leads to an increased caloric intake.

Be Mindful When Eating Healthy Foods

Just because something is healthier does not mean you can eat twice as much of it. You can still have weight gain by doing so.

Moderate Alcohol Consumption

Studies show that people eat more after alcohol consumption compared to those who are not consuming alcohol. And of course alcohol itself is high in calories.

Meditate 

A lot of people use food for comfort. Using mindfulness meditation may help prevent binge eating.

Avoid MSG

The brain-stimulating deliciousness of MSG has been linked to obesity in a study on Chinese adults. And so avoid MSG.

Stay Busy and Be Active to Reduce Temptation

Do you ever find yourself looking in the fridge when you are bored? And so try to get yourself busy.

Try Acupuncture

Acupuncture has shown promise to help with overeating and obesity.

Get More Sleep

If you go to bed a few hours after dinner, you are less likely to be feeling hungry again in the late hours of the night. Shoot for a bedtime early to avoid reaching for that extra late night snack and unnecessary calories.

Moreover, according to WebMD, when you do not get enough sleep, your body will product more ghrelin (a hormone that induces hunger) and less leptin (a hormone that cues your brain to eat less). The result of sleep deprivation is overeating and extra pounds.

Exercise More

Exercise is fantastic for both the body and the mind. In a study, aerobic exercise was shown to reduce the neuronal response to food cues.

And exercise also helps you burn calories. Regular exercise combined with not overeating is the best way to lose weight.

Drink Water

Drink a full  glass of water 1/2 hour before eating. The water fills you up so you have a better shot of realizing when you are full.

Staying hydrated also helps you make sure you do not mistake thirst for hunger.

Slow Down While Eating

Eating slower has been linked to decreased calorie intake during meals. It allows you to realize you are full or satisfied sooner. Some techniques you can try to eliminate overeating by slowing down include setting your fork or spoon down between bites or eating with your opposite hand (for example, using left had if you are right handed).

Focus on enjoying each bite instead of shoveling it in with the goal of clearing your plate.

Find the Exercise Equivalent

Try to figure out how much exercise it takes you to burn 100 calories can help curb temptation. You may ask yourself: is that extra taco worth an extra hour on the treadmill? Do I really want that late night bowl of ice cream if I need to cycle an extra 8 miles to burn it off?

Increase Fiber Intake

 

Increased fiber intake has been associated with a lower body weight, with reduced appetite. Raw foods are often a great source of fiber.

 

Drink Lemon Water

 

Lemon water has a variety of health benefits. Reduced appetite often reported among them.

 

Consume Only What You Need

 

Change your mindset to consider food being a fuel for your body and not just a source of pleasure.

 

Eat high quality foods that provide adequate fuel (calories, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals) for your body and don't eat to excess. More is not always better.

 

Hopefully the above can help you stop overeating and maintain your desired healthy weight.