During the holidays or other special occasions, many people are susceptible to overeating, often eating up to 1,000 calories in one sitting, according to PsychCentral.com. If these episodes of overeating occur at least twice a week for six months or more, a serious eating disorder may be at play. For those looking to cut back on calories, a few tips can be helpful.
Take Your Time
Chewing releases digestive enzymes from the salivary glands in the mouth to make swallowing and digestion easier. The food should have an almost liquid feeling in your mouth before you swallow it. Taking time to chew each bite gives the stomach time to send a message to the brain, allowing a full feeling with less food consumed. When taking more time to chew, also take more time to notice the flavors and textures in the meal. This enriches the eating experience.
Take small sips of water between bites to reset the palate for new flavors. Allow the feeling of the food to register. Make an effort to set down the food or utensils between bites as well. The more time the stomach has to register there is food in it, the sooner the brain will get the full signal.
Pack it Up
When eating out, ask for half of the meal to be placed in a doggie bag even before the meal comes out. That way you won't be tempted to pick at the food while waiting for the server to return with a takeout box.
Eat Breakfast
Eating breakfast helps with weight loss goals. People trying to lose weight or avoid extra calories often skip breakfast, but that often leads to overeating at the next meal. In general, eating every three to four hours is what most bodies like best. This means eating three larger meals and two or three snacks a day. Following a 2,000-calorie diet, this means each meal should be approximately 600 calories and two snacks 100 calories.
Protein
The body often craves carbohydrates for quick energy. It takes the body a little more energy and time to digest protein, so incorporating protein as part of the snacks and meals helps the body feel fuller longer. When going to a party where there might be lots of food, eating a protein snack beforehand will help.
Avoid Triggers
Many people find that certain foods like sweets leads to feeling hungrier. Many trigger foods are foods people may be allergic to. The best way to find out is to avoid the suspected food for several weeks or get tested for food allergies.
Learn what social events trigger overeating. Stand and converse some distance away from the buffet and appetizer tables so you will be less tempting to snack as you talk. Both sweets and alcohol contain large amounts of empty calories. Before going to the event, decide whether you will enjoy sweets or alcohol and don't indulge in both.
Work it Out
Returning to a normal work routine or starting one helps to naturally suppress appetite, according to "Medical News Today." Both cardio and weight lifting suppress one hormone responsible for hunger but cardio activities suppress two of the main hunger hormones better than weight lifting.
Considerations
If overeating is still a problem after taking into account all the tips, consider seeking help through group therapy. For some people eating is an emotional act that can be triggered by situational events or specific memories associated with food. Overeating may be compulsive, and targeted treatment may be needed.
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