If hunger is not the problem, then eating is not the solution.
The most common triggers for overeating:
1. Skipping meals and snacking. Your body seems to work like a pendulum, where if you eat enough food in a meal it will hold you over until the next meal, but if you skip a meal your body will overcompensate and you will actually end up eating far more the next meal than you would have. This is why skipping meals is so detrimental to weight loss.
2. Lack of sleep. If you are tired you tend to lose self control and will end up eating things that you should not just for a bit of a blood sugar jump.
3. Large Portions. Portion control is the biggest change that most people can make in their diet to lose weight. If you figure out how many calories that you need in a day, and divide it by six to make three meals and three snacks, you will find that your portions should probably be a lot smaller than you are currently eating. Try using a smaller plate and just eat until you are satisfied, instead of following your mother’s rule of eating ‘everything on your plate.”
4. Heavy, HEAVY foods. Bagels.Greasy or fried foods. Pastries. Just some examples of foods that are very heavy in calories and low in nutrients. They are also low in water content and high in carbohydrates.
5. TV commercials or food aromas. Have you ever been at home watching TV and you see a McDonalds commercial and crave their french fries? Or driving down the freeway and you see a billboard for your favorite dessert and instantly become hungry? Or better yet, walking into the mall and smell PF Changs and you go eat rather than shop? Ok, maybe that last one is just me :). But fast food places and restaurants KNOW all to well how to get us to eat, yes, even when we aren’t really hungry.
6. Not enough Fiber. Fiber and roughage is always good for filling you up. It also helps keep your digestive system regular. A bowl of all bran, an apple, or a Fiber One bar are good examples of fiber-filled snacks.
7. Artificial Sweeteners. Aspartame and saccharin are examples of artificial sweeteners that will cause you to over indulge in a food because it is low calories. But wait! What about the fat? Just because a food is low in sugar does not mean that it is not low in calories!
8. Stress/Emotions. Many people resort to overeating during times of stress and when they’re emotional. Take a look at when you overeat the most. Is it when the children misbehave? after a stressful workday? after a break-up or argument? This habit can add thousands of calories into our week (Remember 3,500 calories = a pound of body fat). If you know you are apt to eat in stressful times, you should fill your fridge with crunchy veggies like carrots and celery so that you have a low calorie snack to eat in those tough times. Also getting to the root of the problem and dealing with it, along with adding exercise into your schedule will help keep your attitude in check.
9. Comfort. Remember when you had a bad break-up? What did your girlfriends want to do? Take you out for ice cream, right? Over the years, food has evolved from a need to thrive into a need to survive our most difficult times. Instead of eating for comfort, call a friend for support, go exercise, or find another activity that gives you IMMEDIATE gratification.
10. Dehydration. Sometimes we feel hungry when all our body really needs is a glass of water. Dehydration is often mistaken for hunger. It’s estimated that 75% of Americans go through life chronically dehydrated. Before you grab a handful of chips or other snack, try having a glass of water and see if that calms your hunger down. Water can help calm hunger and help you overeat less.
