Three Ways to Avoid Overeating at Take Back Control at Mealtime

Picture this. You get home from work. You are starving and, well, down right HANGRY. You start cooking dinner. You’re adding all the healthy ingredients. Tons of veggies, some healthy fats, protein and only one kind of starch. You rock. It’s ready. You fill up a plate and plop down in front of the TV and dig in. You blink and your plate is empty, but you’re still hungry. You fill up your plate again and dig in. Fifteen minutes later you’re so full it hurts. You’re bloated. And you’ve eaten the portion that was meant to be tomorrow’s lunch. You kind of feel like an a-hole. Sound familiar? Same girl, same. Even when cooking with healthy ingredients, we can still overeat and sabotage our wellness and weight loss goals, especially when we’re not prepared or we’re not paying attention.

I’m going to go out on a limb and guess you’ve probably overeaten during holiday feasts. Yes, me too. That’s pretty much expected.

But, sometimes we overeat on regular days. Or at regular meals. Or All. The. Time.

Not only does this keep us from seeing the gains of all our healthy habits, but it can seriously impact our self-confidence to feel like we are out of control every time we sit down to eat.

Here are three tips to avoid overeating and take back control at mealtime:

(And oh, yeah… turn these into habits with practice… no depending on willpower here!)

P.S. If you’re looking for a step by step system to teach you how to crush your weight loss goals, balance energy and banish those where-did-that-come-from mood swings, all by working with your body, I’ve got the program for you. Click here to schedule a free discovery call to learn more!

Tip #1: Start with some water

You’re feeling low on energy, your stomach is growling… and you smell some BOMB food being made or spot a huge candy jar on your coworker’s desk (damn you Susan!). It can be all too easy to fill a plate (or, if you’re like me, just grab whatever you can with your bare hands) and scarf that deliciousness down before you even realize what’s happening.

But did you know that it’s possible to sometimes confuse the feeling of thirst with that of hunger? Your stomach may actually be craving a big glass of water rather than a feast of Swedish Fish and chocolate covered peanuts (totally not speaking from personal experience here).

Some studies have shown that drinking a glass or two of water before a meal can help reduce the amount of food eaten. And this super-simple tip may even help with weight loss (…just sayin’).

Not only will the water start to fill up your stomach before you get to the buffet, leaving less room for the feast but drinking enough water has been shown to slightly increase your metabolism. Being hydrated is also necessary for maintaining energy levels throughout the day, keeping you focused and from not all of a sudden acting like a jerk for no reason!

Win-win!

Tip #2: Try eating “mindfully”

You’ve heard of mindfulness, but wtf does it actually mean and how can you apply it to your eating habits to take back your body?

I’m glad you asked. Mindfulness can totally help you avoid overeating as well as having the added bonus of helping your digestion.

You probably know that meditating helps you to be mindful, so that you can focus on the here and now. Well, using mindfulness at meals can help you pay attention to all the sensations of eating, which helps you pay attention to how much you’re eating too.

Even if you feel like this is nonsense, it’s free. So, give it a try. Take smaller bites and chew them more slowly. Actively notice how each mouthful tastes and feels. Think about how it smells. Breathe between bites. I know this sounds silly. But if it can help prevent me from eating that entire GF pizza in 5 minutes, it can help you.

When you scarf down your food in 2.5 minutes flat, you can easily eat way too much. This is because it takes about 20 minutes for your brain to know that your stomach is full. Stupid stomach, am I right?

So take your time, pay attention to your food and enjoy every morsel.

Bonus points: Eat at a table (not in front of the screen), off of a small plate, and put your fork down between bites.

Tip #3: Start with a salad

I know. You’re starving and just want All. The. Carbs.

Back it up. You will get there. But you’re not gonna start there (sorry bread basket).

Veggies are a great way to start any meal because they’re full of not only vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and health-promoting phytochemicals but they also have some secret satiety weapons: fiber and water.

That means they will help fill you up, so your stomach doesn’t feel like a bottomless pit when you start with the main course. Come on- you know what I’m talking about. No? Just me? Cool.

So, in summary:

  • If you want to take back your body and rock your health and weight loss goals, you need to deal with overeating
  • Overeating not only sabotages our other healthy habits, but it can make you feel totally out of control when it happens regularly
  • With some preparation and some attention in the moment you can stop this cycle
  • With practice, these turn into habits that work with your body, not against it. No depleting your willpower reserves here!
  • So…
  • Drink your freakin’ water
  • Eat mindfully
  • Have a salad before anything else

Click here for some anything-but-boring flavored water ideas

P. S. Do you too often feel like you’re fighting with your body to reach your goals?

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References:

https://authoritynutrition.com/7-health-benefits-of-water/

http://summertomato.com/the-science-behind-mindful-eating-what-happens-to-your-body-during-a-mindful-meal

The Healthful Rebel, by Jamie Erin

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