by Ahsan Bhatti, MD
Whether you’re trying to keep in line with your new dietary recommendations after a weight loss procedure or you’re working hard to reduce your calorie intake and lose some weight the old fashioned way, it’s not always easy to limit yourself when it comes to food. There are so many delectable foods to try that we can easily end up eating too much food, increasing our calorie intake and stretching our stomach. So how can you consume less food and prevent overeating? We share some tips for doing just that in today’s blog.
How To Avoid Overeating
We’ve all overeaten at some point in our life, and that feeling of being overly full isn’t a comfortable sensation. Besides the physical discomfort, regularly overeating can be hard on your health and your waistline, which is why it’s important to try and make sure that you’re eating an appropriate amount. But how can you make it easier to not overeat, especially if you find that you’re still hungry halfway through a meal? Here are some tips that can help you feel fuller or avoid excess calorie consumption.
- Slow Things Down – Your brain may not realize that your stomach is full until you’ve overeaten, as it can take a few minutes for your brain to make this connection. If you wolf down your food, you may not realize you’re full until it’s too late. If you eat more slowly, you’ll have more time to realize that you’ve had enough to eat while there’s still food on your plate. Start by slowing down when eating.
- Drink Water – Water can also help to take up space in your stomach and contribute to feelings of fullness. Eating slowly and drinking water during a meal can help you feel full while also helping to limit calorie consumption.
- Smaller Portions – In most instances, you can always go back up for more, so there’s no reason to fill your plate to the brim. Many people simply finish what’s on their plate, and if they took too much food to begin with, it’s easy to overeat. Start with smaller portions and see how you’re feeling before going up for more.
- Fibrous Foods – You can also limit excessive calorie consumption by making sure that you have some healthy fibrous options on your plate. Leafy vegetables, beans and whole grains can help you feel full sooner, helping to stop you from overconsuming food and calories.
- Stick To A Healthy Schedule – Some people overeat because they don’t have a healthy eating schedule. For example, if you skip breakfast so that you can have an unhealthy lunch, or you have a light lunch so you can overeat at dinner, you’re not developing a healthy diet. Have something smaller for breakfast and lunch and mix in some healthy snacks along the way so that you’re not overly hungry and ready to overeat at meal times.
- Focus On Eating – It can be easy to sit down in front of the television while you eat your dinner, but if you’re not really paying attention to the eating process, you can mindlessly consume more calories than intended. Sit down at the table, focus on what you’re putting in your body and be more aware of the cues that your body is giving off to tell you when it’s had enough.
- Don’t Confuse Boredom For Hunger – Oftentimes we turn to food when we’re bored, and this can make it easy to consume too many calories. If you’re bored, dive into a new book or go outside for a walk. It’s fine to have some healthy snacks throughout the day, but make sure that your motivation for these snacks is driven by hunger and not boredom.
It’s going to take a concentrated effort to change your eating habits, but it will be worth it if you are willing to put in the work. If you need help with this process, or you want some professional assistance losing excess weight or just becoming a healthier version of yourself, reach out to Dr. Bhatti and the team at Bhatti Weight Loss today at (952) 368-3800.