How to stop yourself eating
How to Stop Overeating: A Dietitian's 10 Tips
TIPS TO LIVE BY Jan. 26, 2022 - Katie McCallum
Sometimes eating too much is simply an instance of your eyeballs growing bigger than your stomach at a buffet, potluck, party or holiday meal.
Other times, overeating is a pattern rather than the exception.
How much is truly too much? And if you are indeed at that point, how do you cut back?
"Overeating is eating beyond what's needed to fuel your body," says Kylie Arrindell, a wellness dietitian at Houston Methodist. "Whether intentional or not, we all do it at some point. The short-term symptoms of overeating are often just related to stomach discomfort, but there are long-term consequences of overeating which, over time, can negatively impact your health."
This means it's important to recognize whether you're overeating and, if you're doing so frequently, take steps to reduce the behavior.
Am I overeating?
That seems like it should be something fairly easy to answer. Perhaps by counting calories?
But Arrindell points out it's not that easy.
"The amount of calories you should be eating per meal is a very individualized number," says Arrindell. "People have different health goals, needs and conditions, so it can be difficult for you to determine your optimal calorie intake on your own. Additionally, counting calories might not resonate with you in a positive way."
Plus, calories aren't a great measure of whether you're eating mindfully and whether you're stopping when you're satisfied, two of the most important components of properly nourishing your body that can also help you understand if you're overeating.
With that in mind, the actual signs of overeating may include:
- Eating beyond the point of being full
- Finding yourself mindlessly eating because you're bored or distracted
- Experiencing physical symptoms after eating, including nausea, abdominal discomfort, gas, bloating or heartburn
- Eating for reasons other than to fuel your body
"Those are the short-term signs and symptoms of overeating, but there are long-term indications, too, including unwanted weight gain, difficulty losing weight and prolonged digestive discomfort," Arrindell adds.
Fortunately, these particularly noticeable signs can be powerful reminders that it's time to take action. But Arrindell points out that there are also detrimental health impacts you may not notice yourself — although they will likely show up in your blood work.
"Over the course of weeks to months to years, overeating can affect your cholesterol and could potentially impact your blood sugar management, which can put you at risk for developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease," warns Arrindell.
How to stop overeating: A dietitian's top 10 tipsIf you recognize the signs and are ready to take action, here's what Arrindell recommends to help you avoid overeating:
1. Familiarize yourself with recommended portion sizes
Portion size is critical.
To keep your eyeballs in check, take advantage of nutrition food labels and reputable sources' recommended amounts of foods. These guidelines aren't perfect, but they can help set the baseline for what a realistic serving size looks like — usually hard to guess on your own.
Knowing the recommended amount also helps you stay accountable for how much you should be eating.
And — speaking of accountability — you might also try eating off of a smaller plate.
"The plates we serve our food on are usually pretty large, so even just something as simple as decreasing your plate size can really help you stick to more appropriate portion sizes and avoid overeating, especially for those who have been taught to finish everything on their plate," says Arrindell. (She notes you don't actually have to eat everything on your plate.)
2. Include a fiber source with meals and snacks
"Fiber is helpful for satiety, the feeling of fullness after eating," says Arrindell.
For instance, let's compare a plate of roasted vegetables versus several pieces of cheese. Both may contain the same amount of calories, but the roasted veggies are more likely to fill you up because they contain fiber — whose feeling of fullness can help reduce overeating tendencies.
Since cheese is less filling, you may have to eat more than your body actually needs before you physically feel full and your brain realizes you're not hungry anymore.
3. Avoid skipping meals
Intermittent fasting — the foundation of which is skipping meals — is a trendy diet right now, but for some people, it may lead to a feast-or-famine mentality that inadvertently leads to overeating.
"Skipping meals can cause intense hunger, which, for many people, tends to result in episodes of overeating once you do finally eat," warns Arrindell. "Instead, I recommend eating healthy snacks between meals or eating smaller meals more regularly throughout the day."
4. Know and limit the foods that are easiest to overeat
We've all wondered if there are foods we should write off completely. Just give us the list!
But here again, Arrindell says it's not that simple.
"Everyone has their own individual preference on the foods and drinks they enjoy most, so advice on which foods to keep your eye on will vary from person to person," says Arrindell.
"Keeping a food journal can provide you with insight into your own eating habits, a helpful tool for identifying which foods you struggle with the most."
That said, Arrindell says that most people tend to overeat calorie-dense foods or processed foods they view as treats, including those high in:
- Salt
- Added sugar
- Saturated and trans fats
- Empty calories
And while Arrindell says there's no food you should overeat — since even too much of something healthy, like fiber-rich veggies, may cause unwanted digestive distress — she adds that she doesn't often hear of someone who regularly overeats broccoli or asparagus. Wink, wink.
5. Stay hydrated
"Cues for thirst can often be mistaken as hunger cues," says Arrindell.
Especially when you're feeling hungry or craving a snack at a time you shouldn't, just taking a few sips of water can help you determine whether you're actually hungry or just thirsty. And keeping up with your water intake throughout the day may help you completely sidestep those tricky hunger pangs that aren't actually due to hunger after all.
6. Be mindful about why you're eating and pay attention to hunger cues
There are a lot of reasons you might want to eat, but there's only one you need to: nourishing and energizing your body.
From "I think I need a snack" to "It's dinner time," be sure you're not falling into the trap of eating mindlessly just to eat.
"If you aren't paying attention to the actual snack or meal you're eating and why you're eating it, chances are you're not really paying attention to your body's cues for appetite and hunger either," says Arrindell.
When you're not in tune with when it's time to stop eating, you're more likely to overeat.
"Being mindful about your meals and what you're eating is important since paying attention to your body's cues can help you connect to the process of enjoying food as a way of nourishing your body," explains Arrindell.
7. Slow down
Crucially, not overeating also means actually stopping when you're approaching feeling full.
Portion sizing can help, but, ultimately, slowing down your meal and paying attention to how you actually feel is one of the best ways to avoid overeating.
The goal is to give your food-filled stomach and hungry brain time to re-sync with one another. In fact, it can take as long as 20 minutes for your stomach to let you brain know it's full.
"A lot of us scarf down meals in half that time or less!" says Arrindell. "If you find yourself overeating at meals, try to find ways to slow down the process. For instance, you might try eating with your non-dominant hand or putting your fork down between bites."
8. Rethink that second serving
Speaking of slowing down ... it can also help you decide whether you truly need to be refilling your plate or not.
"Maybe you really are hungry and need that second helping, which is okay," says Arrindell. "But my advice is to wait 5 to 10 minutes before you get another serving and to make sure your additional serving is mostly the good stuff — more vegetables, for instance.
"
9. Turn off your TV
A great way to help encourage paying attention to how you feel after eating is to make snack time and mealtime a distraction-free experience.
"Turning off your TV and sitting down at the table is a great place to start," says Arrindell. "Eating without distractions brings us back to the concept of connecting to the process of nourishing your body, which is what your food is actually meant to do."
10. Give yourself some grace
Whether you hit a roadblock as you're getting started or when the holidays come around, know that fighting back against overeating takes patience and compromise.
"Allowing yourself to have foods that you really enjoy in moderation is helpful because then you're not tempted to overindulge on them later," says Arrindell. "Giving yourself grace not only provides a little bit of wiggle room in your diet, it's also sometimes the missing piece for people when it comes to maintaining healthy eating patterns that can help reduce the chances of overeating.
"
Sometimes overeating just happens on occasion. This is especially common on occasions where you have access to more food than usual (*cough* Thanksgiving).
Other times, it becomes a pleasurable yet unhealthy habit that reinforces itself over and over — as habits do. The steps above, given time, might be all it takes to break the habit.
In some cases, however, there could be a more complicated reason you're overeating.
"When it's happening habitually, that's when it's time to take a look into why you're overindulging more often than usual," explains Arrindell. "There could be some underlying reasoning behind why it's become a habit."
For instance, you could be using a food solution to fight an emotional issue — sometimes referred to as emotional eating. Recognizing this behavior and better processing your emotions are important steps in your journey to reduce overeating.
Lastly, in the most extreme cases, overeating might also be a sign of something more complicated: binge eating disorder.
"If you find yourself overeating often, talk to your dietitian or doctor," recommends Arrindell. "Overeating can be closely associated with binge eating tendencies, which is not something you have to navigate on your own and it is treatable with the right help."
23 Ways to Stop Overeating
Eating too much in one sitting or taking in too many calories throughout the day are common habits that can be hard to break.
And while some people see these behaviors as habits that can be broken, they may indicate an eating disorder in others.
Over time, eating too much food can lead to weight gain and increase the risk of developing a chronic condition, such as diabetes or heart disease.
Regardless of whether you have an eating disorder, breaking the cycle of overeating can be challenging. However, some techniques can help.
The 23 tips below provide a starting point to reduce overeating.
1. Get rid of distractions
Whether it’s working through lunch in front of the computer or noshing on chips while catching up on your favorite TV show, eating while distracted is a common occurrence for most people.
While this habit might seem harmless, it can contribute to overeating.
A review of 24 studies found that being distracted during a meal led people to consume more calories at that meal. It also caused them to eat more food later in the day, compared with people who paid attention to their food while eating (1).
Summary Make an effort to turn off
or put away potential distractions like phones, computers, and magazines. Concentrating
on your meal during mealtime can help prevent overeating.
2. Know your trigger foods
Pinpointing which foods can trigger overeating and avoiding them can help decrease the chances of overeating.
For example, if ice cream is likely to trigger a binge or episode of overeating, it’s a good idea to stop storing it in the freezer. The harder it is to access something, the less likely you might be to overeat that food.
Preparing healthy options like a sliced apple with peanut butter, hummus and veggies, or homemade trail mix can encourage better choices when snacking.
Another helpful tip is to keep unhealthy snack foods like chips, candy, and cookies out of sight so there’s no temptation to grab a handful when walking past them.
Summary Identify the unhealthy foods
that trigger overeating. Keep them out of the home or far out of sight, and
make healthy options easily accessible instead.
3. Don’t ban all favorite foods
Restrictive eating patterns that eliminate many of your favorite foods may cause you to feel deprived, potentially leading you to binge on forbidden treats.
Diets that concentrate on whole, unprocessed foods are always best, but making room for an occasional treat is perfectly healthy.
Swearing to never have a scoop of ice cream, slice of pizza, or piece of chocolate again is not realistic for most people.
That said, in the case of food addiction, a person may need to permanently abstain from trigger foods. In this case, it’s a good idea to find healthy substitutes that are satisfying.
Focus on providing your body with mostly healthy, nutritious food while giving yourself the freedom to truly enjoy a treat here and there.
Summary Eating patterns that are too
restrictive may drive binges. The key to a sustainable, healthy diet is to
concentrate on eating whole, unprocessed foods most of the time while allowing for
a treat here and there.
4. Give volumetrics a try
Volumetrics is a way to eat that focuses on filling up on low calorie, high fiber foods like non-starchy vegetables.
Consuming foods that are low in calories and high in fiber and water before meals can help you feel full, which might decrease overeating.
Examples of volumetrics-friendly foods include grapefruit, salad greens, broccoli, beans, tomatoes, and low-sodium broth.
Eating a large salad or bowl of low-sodium, broth-based soup before lunch and dinner may be an effective way to prevent overeating.
Summary Use the volumetrics method
of eating — fill up on healthy, low-calorie, high-fiber foods to help promote feeling
full.
5. Avoid eating from containers
Eating chips out of the bag, ice cream out of the carton, or takeout straight from the box can lead to consuming more food than is recommended as a serving size.
Instead, portion out a single serving size on a plate or in a bowl to help control the number of calories you consume in one sitting.
Use measuring tools to train your eye on what a normal portion should look like for different types of foods.
Summary Instead of eating food
straight from the package, portion it into a dish. Try measuring out
appropriate serving sizes to help train your eye to identify how much food is recommended
as an average portion.
6. Reduce stress
Stress can lead to overeating, so it’s important to find ways to reduce the amount of stress in your daily life.
Chronic stress drives up levels of cortisol, a hormone that increases appetite. Studies have shown that being stressed can lead to overeating, increased hunger, binge eating, and weight gain (2).
There are many simple ways to reduce your everyday stress levels. Consider listening to music, gardening, exercising, or practicing yoga, meditation, or breathing techniques.
Summary Stress can lead to
overeating, so reducing the stress in your everyday life is one important step
to reduce overeating.
7. Eat fiber-rich foods
Choosing foods that are rich in fiber, such as beans, vegetables, oats, and fruit, can help keep your body feeling satisfied longer and reduce the urge to overeat.
For example, one study found that people who ate fiber-rich oatmeal for breakfast felt fuller and ate less at lunch than those who consumed cornflakes for breakfast (4).
Snacking on nuts, adding beans to your salad, and eating vegetables at every meal may help reduce the amount of food you consume.
Summary Add fiber-rich foods to your
diet to keep your body feeling satisfied longer. Studies show this may help
reduce the urge to overeat.
8. Eat regular meals
When attempting to lose weight, many people cut out meals in hopes that it will decrease the number of calories they take in.
While this may work in some instances, such as intermittent fasting, restricting meals may cause you to eat more later in the day.
Studies have demonstrated that eating more frequently throughout the day may decrease hunger and overall food intake (5).
For example, some people may skip lunch to restrict calories, only to find themselves overeating at dinner. However, eating a balanced lunch may help reduce the chances of eating too much later in the day (6).
Summary Skipping meals may cause you
to eat more later in the day. Instead, focus on keeping your body feeling
satisfied by eating balanced meals made with whole foods.
9. Keep a food journal
Keeping track of what you eat in a food diary or mobile app may help reduce overeating.
Many studies have shown that using self-monitoring techniques like keeping a food diary may aid weight loss (7).
Plus, using a food journal can help identify situations and emotional triggers that contribute to overeating, as well as foods that are likely to provoke binge eating.
Summary Studies have shown that
tracking your food intake may help you lose weight. It will also help you become
more aware of your habits.
10. Dine with like-minded friends
The food choices of your dining companions may have a greater effect on your food intake than you realize.
Numerous studies have found that people’s food choices are heavily influenced by the people they eat with.
People may tend to eat portions similar to those of their dining companions, so dining out with friends who overeat may cause them to overeat as well (8).
Plus, studies have shown that a person is more inclined to order unhealthy options if their dining partner does (9).
Choosing to eat with family and friends who have similar health goals can help you stay on track and reduce your chances of overeating.
Summary With whom you choose to eat
may majorly impact your food choices. Try to dine with people who also want to
eat healthy meals in moderate portions.
11. Fill up on protein
Protein helps keep your body full throughout the day and can decrease the desire to overeat.
For example, eating a high protein breakfast has been shown to reduce hunger and snacking later in the day (10).
Choosing a protein-rich breakfast like eggs tends to lower levels of ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates hunger (11).
Adding higher protein snacks like Greek yogurt to your routine can also help you eat less throughout the day and keep hunger under control (12).
Summary Eating protein-rich foods
may help stave off hunger and cravings. Starting the day with a high protein
breakfast can also help fight hunger later in the day.
12. Stabilize your blood sugar levels
Eating white bread, cookies, candy, and other carbs with high glycemic indexes will likely cause blood sugar levels to spike, then fall quickly.
This rapid blood sugar fluctuation has been shown to promote hunger and can lead to overeating (13).
Choosing foods with lower glycemic indexes will help prevent blood sugar spikes and may reduce overeating. Beans, oats, and brown rice are all great options.
Summary Eat foods that help keep blood
sugar levels constant. High-glycemic foods like candy and white bread can make
blood sugar spike then drop, which may lead to overeating. Instead, choose
foods like beans, oats, and brown rice.
13.
Slow down
Eating too quickly may cause overeating and lead to weight gain over time.
Slower-paced eating is associated with increased fullness and decreased hunger and can serve as a useful tool for controlling overeating (14).
Taking the time to thoroughly chew food has also been shown to reduce overall food intake and increase feelings of fullness (15).
Summary Focusing on eating more
slowly and chewing food thoroughly may help you recognize signs of fullness and
reduce overeating.
14. Watch your alcohol intake
Drinking alcohol may cause overeating by lowering your inhibitions and stimulating appetite (16, 17).
While having a drink or two with a meal generally won’t have a huge effect, having several drinks in one sitting may lead to increased levels of hunger.
One study found that college students who drank four to five drinks at a time more than once per week were more likely to overeat after drinking, compared with students who drank one to two drinks at a time (18).
Cutting back on drinking alcohol may be a good way to minimize overeating.
Summary Studies show that drinking
several drinks in one sitting may lead to overeating. Instead, stick to just
one or two drinks, or forgo drinking alcohol entirely.
15. Plan ahead
Being unprepared when hunger strikes can make it more likely that you’ll make poor food choices that can lead to overeating.
Purchasing meals and snacks at the last minute from restaurants or delis increases the likelihood of making unhealthy choices and eating more.
Instead, keep healthy snacks on hand, pack home-cooked lunches, and stock the fridge with healthy options to prepare dinner at home.
These strategies can help decrease overeating. Plus, making more meals at home can save money and time.
Summary The more prepared you are to
eat healthily, the less likely you are to overeat. Keep the fridge and pantry
stocked with healthy, filling foods.![]()
16. Replace sugary beverages with water
Drinking sugary beverages like soda and juice could lead to weight gain and increase the risk of certain diseases like diabetes (19).
Studies have shown that consuming sweetened drinks with meals may be linked to overeating as well.
A review of 17 studies found that adults who drank sugar-sweetened beverages with meals consumed 7.8% more food than adults who consumed water with meals (20).
Choosing water or unsweetened seltzer over sweetened beverages may help reduce overeating.
Summary Avoid sugary beverages.
They’ve been linked to an increased risk of diabetes and other diseases and may
be linked to overeating. Drink water instead.
17. Check in with yourself
Overeating in the absence of hunger could be a sign that something deeper is going on.
Depression and boredom are two common issues that have been linked to the urge to overeat (21, 22).
Fortunately, taking certain actions can help. For example, try taking on a new activity that’s enjoyable. It may help prevent boredom and distract from the urge to nibble.
Also, spending some time thinking about what triggers overeating can help determine the type of help to seek. If depression and anxiety are contributors, getting proper treatment from a mental health professional might assist with reducing overeating.
Every person is different, so it’s important to find the right treatment plan for your needs.
Summary Think about the feelings
during episodes of overeating and seek help to address the issues behind the
behavior. Depression and boredom are two common reasons. A mental health
professional can provide guidance.
18. Ditch the diet mentality
Fad diets probably won’t help you stop overeating in the long run. Short-term, restrictive diets may lead to rapid weight loss, but they are often unsustainable and can set you up for failure.
Instead, make long-term lifestyle changes that promote health and wellness. It’s the best way to create a balanced relationship with food and prevent habits like overeating.
Summary Instead of going on fad
diets to curb overeating, find a sustainable way of eating that nourishes your
body and helps it reach optimal health.
19. Break old habits
Habits can be hard to break, especially when they involve food.
Many people get into comfortable routines, like eating dinner in front of the TV or having a bowl of ice cream every night.
It may take time to identify unhealthy behaviors that lead to overeating and replace them with new, healthy habits, but it’s well worth the effort.
For example, make it a point to eat at the dinner table instead of in front of the TV, or replace a nightly bowl of ice cream with a hot cup of tea. These replacements will become healthy habits over time.
Summary Identify unhealthy habits
and gradually replace them with new, more positive behaviors.![]()
20. Eat healthy fats
Although high fat foods are often associated with weight gain and overeating, choosing foods rich in healthy fats can help you eat less.
Several studies have shown that adults who consume high fat, low carb diets are less hungry 3–4 hours after meals and lose more weight over time, compared with people who consume diets high in carbs and low in fat (23, 24).
Adding healthy fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, nut butters, and olive oil to your diet may help you feel more satisfied after meals and reduce overeating.
Summary Try adding more healthy fats
to your diet. Studies have shown doing so may help you feel fuller after meals
and lose weight over time.
21. Keep your goals in mind
Setting short- and long-term goals and referring to them often may help you stay on track and reduce the urge to overeat.
Knowing the reason for overcoming overeating and how overeating is preventing you from reaching your health and wellness goals can motivate you to work toward establishing new eating patterns.
Jotting down motivational quotes and hanging them in prominent places around your living space can help inspire you to stick to a plan throughout the day.
Summary Identify specific short- and
long-term eating goals and refer to them often. It can even be helpful to place
motivational quotes around your home.
22. Get help if needed
It’s important to distinguish overeating from binge eating disorder (BED).
Binge eating disorder (BED) is recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM-5) as a psychiatric disorder. This means someone who has BED will likely need treatment from a team of medical professionals to overcome it.
BED is characterized by ongoing episodes of eating a large amount of food very quickly to the point of discomfort, despite not being hungry. After a binge, a person might feel shame or guilt surrounding the behavior.
It affects millions of people worldwide and is the most common eating disorder in the United States (25).
If you feel that you might have BED, it’s important to get help. Speak with your healthcare provider about treatment options.
Summary If you regularly binge on
large quantities of food, lack control, and experience feelings of guilt, you
may have binge eating disorder and should seek professional help.
23. Practice mindful eating
Adopting mindful eating techniques is one of the best ways to prevent overeating.
The practice of mindful eating stresses the importance of focusing on the moment and being aware of thoughts, emotions, and senses while consuming food.
Many studies have shown that mindful eating is an effective way to reduce binge eating behaviors, overeating, and emotional eating (3).
Eating more slowly, taking small bites, chewing thoroughly, being aware of your senses, and appreciating food are all simple mindfulness practices to incorporate into a daily routine.
Summary The practice of mindful
eating has been shown to help reduce binge eating behaviors.Mindful eating
focuses on being aware of your thoughts and senses while eating.
The bottom line
Many people struggle with overeating.
Fortunately, there are ways to improve eating habits and overcome eating disorders.
Healthcare professionals like psychologists, doctors, or registered dietitians can also provide counseling and guidance to help you get back on track.
Overeating can be a hard habit to break, but you can do it. Use these tips as a starting point to help establish a new, healthy routine, and make sure to seek professional help if you need it.
Editor’s note: This piece was originally published on April 16, 2018. Its current publication date reflects an update, which includes a medical review by Timothy J. Legg, PhD, PsyD.
How to eat less - 15 ways to stop eating too much
Overeating is one of the causes of overweight and health problems: stomach pain, problem skin, weakness. Most often, the desire to eat more than you need is emotional. We eat stress, problems, fatigue. We can also, for example, replace joy and love with sweets, boredom with seeds, and resentment with flour. The more we suppress our emotions, the more we eat.
We can also overeat when we break down - at a party or after the end of a strict diet. To solve the problem with overeating, it is important to realize: you want to eat because of a feeling of hunger or you are eating emotions. It is also worth paying attention to what the body asks for: more greens, water, vegetables. Try to pay attention to the feeling of hunger in the morning, it is true. If you reduce the amount of food and give the body what it needs, it will become healthier, you will sleep better, become more productive, calmer.
What to do to stop eating too much?
1. Recognize the problem
The most difficult and important thing is to admit to yourself that there is a problem. Until you do this, no amount of habit change will help. We can only manage what we control.
2. Avoid snacking
It is important to eat well at every meal. When you exclude snacks, especially harmful ones, you will not have to overeat. An apple, grape or cookie is also a snack.
3. Don't get distracted
Set aside movies, books, and social media. It is important to eat in silence, enjoy, focus on the process itself. If you don’t get distracted and don’t miss the process of saturation, you won’t have to overeat.
4. Eat slowly
So the body receives the maximum number of elements. A feeling of fullness comes in time, we do not have time to overeat. In addition, you can enjoy the tastes and aromas. And the brain understands that we finally ate.
5. Walk more
During walks we rest and relax. Emotions are normalized, there is no need to replace them with food. Try to take a walk before dinner, so as not to fill up at night.
6. Find an alternative sedative
Try to avoid stressful situations, learn to react more calmly where possible. Eating is not the only way to relieve stress. Choose music, hobbies, fitness - no doubt something interesting.
7. Create menu
It is important that proteins, fats and carbohydrates are balanced. The right menu will help you with this. It is best to consult a nutritionist. He will tell you how to make a menu to eat less.
8. Be careful in stores
A regular list will help you not to buy extra products. Try to buy only what is written. No temptations. Also go for groceries full: you don’t want sweets and a snack.
9. Do everything in moderation
The most important thing is to make proper nutrition a lifestyle, not to torture the body with diets. After any limitation, the brain will demand compensation.
Any hunger, even for a day, is stress for the body. Then you immediately want to eat tasty and a lot. You can starve only on the recommendation of a doctor and under his supervision.
10. Enjoy your food
Choose what you love. Eat what tastes good. No need to torture yourself with tasteless food. Choose delicious recipes, enjoy cooking.
11. Show emotions
When you feel angry, speak up. Show love and joy. Talk to loved ones about fear. The need to seize emotions will disappear.
12. Bring a girlfriend with you
It's true that it's easier for many to do something new not alone. If you tell a friend about your plans to change your diet, there will be nowhere to go. Responsibility is on the rise.
13. Always have breakfast
Remember, breakfast is absolutely impossible to skip. It is desirable that the first meal was within an hour after waking up. The body gets more benefit from it, hormones normalize, cortisol is normal.
14. Don't provoke yourself
Remove sweets, starchy foods, and other unhealthy foods from a conspicuous place. There will be no temptation to “grab a piece”. This way you will definitely eat less.
15. Buy new dishes
The new smaller plate allows you to instantly change the portion of food. This way you will definitely eat less. And don't rush to add more. Remember: saturation comes after a few minutes.
Appetite is also affected by the color of the plate. For example, dark colors - dark blue and gray, make dishes unappetizing. Black slims not only the figure, but also food. Appetite disappears instantly. Brown - does not include flavoring recipes, you do not want to eat at all. Purple or violet - do not contribute to an increase in appetite. Many people say that they are similar to not-so-loved foods: eggplant, for example.
Read also: Study: Obesity increases the risk of death from coronavirus
Read also: The benefits of interval nutrition
How to stop eating. I share my personal experience: api_ano — LiveJournal
-
api_ano Golden Entry
- Food
- Lytdybr
- Cancel
One day I decided to stop eating. I think it was one of the most important decisions in my life. And it’s not at all because after that I got a waist (although I love it too). It turned out that the less you eat, the more pleasure you get both from the food itself and from life in general.
I share my personal experience, fully realizing that all organisms are different, and what is good for one, is a poop for another.
Since I was a child, I have eaten everything on my plate. And since there were usually no frills on my plates, when I found these same frills in front of me, I ate them all. On all plates.
This resulted in two moments at the same time:
- firstly, I quickly gained weight (for example, during an internship in Austria I gained 17 kg in three months, devouring fast food that was practically inaccessible in Russia at that time),
- secondly, I suffered with my stomach (any corporate or friendly get-together resulted in a day or two of unpleasant pain,
- thirdly (this is a continuation of the first, but I suffered as a separate point) I was infuriated that most of the beautiful clothes fit me disgustingly, and, not having a wonderful taste, I still have to look for what will allow me to look good in the mirror .
The decision came at once. I will no longer eat "while climbing." Enough.
It remains to decide how to implement it. In addition to confidence in your own intention, you need a concept and an agreement with your own head.
Because deceiving yourself is the worst thing you can think of. Go on any diet, but if you sincerely do not want to follow it, nothing will happen. Moreover, you need to want not to lose weight, - you need to want to do something , which is necessary for losing weight (or recovery, whatever).
At the same time, I really like to eat, that is, it was necessary to develop a system by which I could continue to enjoy any food, without excluding anything.
And I came up with (for sure, it was invented a long time ago, but I did not read the Internet and did not turn to psychologists or nutritionists, so I write “invented”).
Sitting at the next corporate party and looking at a piece of meat and a fish lying nearby, I asked myself: which of these do you want more? The body confidently answered: I WANT EVERYTHING, you will eat. But I asked him again: I know that you feel sorry for leaving this, because we cannot buy this for ourselves, but what do you REALLY want. And he said: I want fish, it’s delicious, and it will be easy for me, but the meat looks a little dry, and I’m not very good at pork, it’s just very difficult for me to leave a restaurant dish on a plate.
And so we began to live. I am with me. Constantly asking yourself: “ do you really want this burger/this buckwheat/this pasta/this cake/this soup?”
The most difficult thing is to learn to distinguish between the real “I want this food” and other “I want” : I want because I'm bored, I want to chew, I want because I'm nervous, I want because of greed…
I learned. The easiest question I found to ask was, “Do I really want this, or would I rather eat that steak from the Michelin-starred steakhouse in Los Angeles right now?” While I answer myself “better that steak,” I do not want to eat. And when the answer becomes “to hell with your Michelin, I want this dryer,” it means that the dryer must be eaten.
