How do You Avoid Overeating?
Friday October 5, 2007
In this week's poll, we started an interesting discussion about something almost all of us do on occasion: overeating. From that discussion, it's clear that a lot of us turn to food when we're bored, tired or feeling blue. It's not easy finding different ways to cope with these situations, but I've picked up some great tips from my clients, my readers and other experts around About.com. Just some of the suggestions they had for avoiding overeating:
- Drink a full glass of water before giving into a craving or urge to eat when you're bored
- Have a piece of fruit before meals so you'll eat less of the unhealthier foods
- Drink tea to help curb cravings
- Eat a light, healthy snack before going out to dinner or a party
- Put your fork down between bites so you eat more slowly
- If you have a craving, wait 10 minutes before giving in and you may just skip it altogether
- Chew gum or eat hard candy to keep your mouth busy
- Take a walk or do something active instead of giving into a craving
- Write in a journal to work through your feelings instead of using food to cope
More Resources for Overeating
Comments
All these things really have helped me I appreciate all the things that you have put on this site because now they have all been use full to me.
Drink more water. It will trick you into feeling full.
I have a V-8 veggie juice. It tastes great and satisfies a craving for something savory.
I enjoy eating out. Because restaurants are notorious for serving more food than needed, I always ask for a to-go box be delivered with my meal. I put half in the box and eat what is left.
I try to fill up on salad mixes with vegetables (mushroom, carrots, celery, sweet peas, etc.) then when the “main dish” is ready, I don’t have room. I have lost 115 pounds by consuming 30 carbohydrates per meal and eating only rare snacks. I was rarely hungry and didn’t overeat.
so far to go
i need a friend to im just starting to
fasting is better
I stop eating when I am satisfied - I can always eat the rest later as a snack. I don’t care how much food is left, if I am full - I stop!
Lol who said fasting is better? Doesn’t that just quadruple the cravings? I find that when I crave things, standing in front of the mirror naked helps. Then I’m reminded what I’m working toward and my motivation is renewed.
Have specific eating times and plan ahead what you are going to eat. Otherwise anything sounds good and you will eat whatever comes first esp. fast food. I have lost 11 lbs in the past 3 months doing so and driking about 62 oz of water a day.
Keep a food journal and write down everything you eat. If you bite it, write it!
This helps me cuz I think about it before I eat since I know I have to write it down.
I have just quit smoking and now I have to take the weight off. I am a beginner and would like some input on how I should begin
I lost 50 lbs at Curves on the Curves diet I am in my 60’s and it gets harder to lose as you get older I feel great and would recomend it to any one.Young and old
Drink more water, and try Chitolite it is a fat absorber, or a Carb Blocker. They work great.
You need to eat less and walk. I have lost 50 lbs and will keep it off.
I’ve lost 20 pounds and gone down two pants sizes since the first of August (in only 11 weeks) because of two things: Exercise (20 to 30 minutes almost every day) and a change in eating habits.
I don’t call these habits a ‘weight-losing diet’ because I eat plenty and I’m satisfied. I’m eating basically 8 foods every day (with variations every now and then): Fresh spinach, tomatoes, walnuts, yogurt (live and active cultures), whole grain cereals, blueberries, carrots and blackbeans.
In the evening I have a serving of fish, chicken or turkey, and I also add Soy Protein Powder to my morning cereal (with skim milk). I have one glass of red wine with dinner, and I drink LOTS of water throughout the day.
The weight has fallen off and I feel like a million dollars. I’ve got another 20 to lose, and I’m hoping I can lose it as easily as I’ve lost the first 20. I’ll never go back to the sluggish me.
I feel MEGA healthy!
I have a meal plan. I have written it down as far as what foods I will avoid and about what I will eat. I eat three meals per day with nothing in between. To learn portion control I timed my meals. Anything left on the plate after 25 minutes went to the dog. I do follow alot of the suggestions made in the article.
i am trying. but between my 2 yr old and my 2 month old it is sooo hard
What a great idea. I am going to ask for a to go box with my meal the next time I go out !!! We’ll see what happens.
Drinking water is also a great habit to form.
I have lost almost ten pounds in 5 weeks and I have done this by exercising 4 times a week (20-30 mins of cardio plus weights and abs), drink atleast 2 liters of water a day, and by not eating late. I don’t eat anything later then 6:30. I feel a lot better and the work-outs help relieve everyday stress which prevent giving into craving and overeating.
How does Drink tea to help curb cravings drink?
I started a workout plan and eating healthier about 3 months ago, and nothing is happening!!!! I don’t know if I’m doing somwthing wrong or what. I used to wiegh 115, and now I wiegh 140, and am disgusted when I look in the mirror. What else can I do?!
If you start your meal with a broth based soup you will tend to eat less. A trick learned fro Chinese Culture.
I am in the Medifast diet - 18 lbs in 7 weeks - very easy to follow.
If I get a craving (around 5:pm when get home from work), I love bread but cannot eat on my diet - this sounds gross, but I chew bits of bread but don’t swallow (spit out). This makes the craving go away, I have tasted the untouchable without ingesting the calories. (works for other foods too - just rinse your mouth throughly.)
No offense but chewing and spitting is a form of an eating disorder and I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone to try.
Drinking water before eating is the worst thing you can do. All it does is stretch your stomach out and dull the craving for a few minutes, but then it is quickly absorbed by your bosy and you’re even more hungry after. If you are hungry the best thing to do is to have a salad with lots of veg and some protein, or eat some natural yogurt and fruit. Drink water only once you are finished eating.