Overeating or consuming too many calories in one sitting or throughout the day is a problem that needs to be tackled. Over time, eating too much can negatively impact your health. This habit can lead to weight gain and increase the risk of developing chronic conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease.
Often, we end up overeating as they have waited too long in between meals or haven’t eaten enough during the day. Experts say that by not waiting too long, it may be easier for you to thoughtfully choose what you want to eat till you’re satisfied, rather than getting overly stuffed. To keep hunger levels in check, it is important to eat 2-3 balanced meals throughout the day on a regular basis.
Overeating cannot be considered an issue on special occasions like birthdays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other celebrations. However, it can become a serious issue if you routinely let yourself become ravenous or are under-eating to the point where you subsequently binge.
Regardless of whether a person has an eating disorder, breaking the cycle of overeating can be challenging. Here are six effective ways to control or stop overeating –
- Portion Size is Critical – Take advantage of nutrition food labels and reputable sources’ recommended amounts of foods. These guidelines can help set the baseline for what a realistic serving size looks like. Knowing the recommended amount also helps you stay responsible for how much amount you should be eating. Also, try eating off of a smaller plate. Decreasing plate size can help you stick to more appropriate portion sizes and avoid overeating.
- Identify Trigger Foods – Identify foods that can trigger overeating and avoid them. For instance, if ice cream is likely to trigger a binge or episode of overeating, it is better not to store it in the freezer. Having less access to trigger foods can help avoid overeating that food.
- Avoid Skipping Meals – Intermittent fasting has become a trendy diet right now. But, for some people, this type of diet lead to a feast mentality that leads to overeating. In fact, skipping meals can cause intense hunger, which tends to result in episodes of overeating when you finally eat. Experts recommend eating healthy snacks between meals or eating smaller meal portions more regularly throughout the day.
- Eat Fiber-rich Foods – Eating foods fiber-rich food items such as beans, vegetables, oats, and fruit, can give the body a feeling of fullness and reduce the urge to overeat. According to one study, people who consumed fiber-rich oatmeal for breakfast felt fuller and ate less at lunch than those who consumed cornflakes for breakfast. Snacking on nuts can reduce hunger pangs.
- Maintain a Food Journal – Make notes about the kind of food you eat in a food diary or mobile application. This can help identify emotional triggers that contribute to overeating and foods that are likely to provoke binge eating.
- Stay Hydrated – Signs of thirst can often be mistaken as hunger. If you’re feeling hungry or craving for a snack at a time you shouldn’t be, taking a few sips of water can help you determine whether you’re actually hungry or just thirsty. In fact, water intake throughout the day may help completely sidestep those tricky hunger pangs that are not real hunger.
While some people view this behavior as a habit that can be broken, it may actually indicate an eating disorder. These tips are a starting point to overcome binge eating. If you find the habit hard to break, talk to your doctor.
