HOW TO AVOID OVEREATING

Overeating can cause serious health problems. Most people tend to overeat snacks or junk food when they feel bored or stressed. To stop overeating, it is a good idea to find what causes to you to snack. When you understand why you snack, it becomes easier to resist temptation. In order to do that, you can keep a food diary. Write down everything you eat and drink in a journal. Include a list of calories. Write the time and how much you ate. After a few days or weeks, you will notice when and in what situation you tend to eat snacks. To solve this temptation problem, you can buy healthy snack foods when you go shopping. When you feel you need to eat something, you can eat those healthy things instead of junk food. Also, you can stay away from the activities that make you feel the need to eat. For example, you can reduce the amount of time you spend watching TV if you realize that you eat a lot in front of the TV. In addition, you should learn to recognize real hunger. Many people think they’re hungry when they’re not. To tell when you’re really hungry, you may use some tricks. First of all, you should think about when you last ate. Hunger cycles peak every 90 minutes or so, but if you ate within the last 2 or 3 hours, you’re probably not really hungry. You can also watch for physical cues. A rumbling stomach, headache, feeling weak or tired may all be signs that you need to eat. Foods with a lot of fibre, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, will help you feel full for a longer period of time. Foods that are high in water, such as vegetables and fruits, are very good for helping you feel full. Try to incorporate these into all of your meals. If you must snack, choose a handful of carrots over a handful of chips. Slow down and savour. It takes up to 20 minutes for your brain to feel “satisfied” after you eat. If you eat your meals and snacks quickly, you may end up eating a lot more than you need because you haven’t given your brain time to catch up with your mouth. So, if you find yourself overeating lately, try these steps to help you stay away from snacks and other junk foods! (Adapted from WikiHow)