Great Tips On How To Stop Overeating and Avoid Compulsive Eating

Eating problems

Pigging out once in a while is acceptable but if overeating becomes a part of your normal eating habit, it is a big problem. For many people, it is a tough problem to overcome, but it is not impossible to eliminate. One way of controlling the urge to overeat is to condition oneself of the consequences of frequent overeating behaviours.

We all know that binge eating leads to weight gain, obesity, depression, heart diseases and other health problems. People who overeat on a regular basis are also at risk of binge eating disorders. They need to decide whether they want continue living with unhealthy eating habits or if they are ready to make small positive changes while they still have control of what they eat. These changes will lead to great results in eliminating overeating and reducing risks of weight related problems.

Tips on how to avoid eating too much

Here are some tips that can help people avoid overeating.

Drink a glass of water or have a bowl of soup before eating

We need to drink eight glasses of water a day anyway so why not make it a habit to have a glass of water before each meal. Water will help to fill up part of your hungry stomach and make you eat less. At the same time, water helps to get rid of toxic wastes in your body. Vegetable soups are great for satisfying a hungry stomach. They are healthy and full of nutrients, too.

Have a healthy appetiser before your meal

Start with a few pieces of fruit or a serving of salad to fill the stomach especially if you are so hungry you know you could devour one family size pizza in five minutes. We all need at least two servings of fruits and about five servings of vegetables every day, so this is the best time to fulfil what your body needs.

Decide on how much you want to eat before you put the food on the plate

Take a small portion of food or take half of what you would love to have. Do not go for a second serving. If you really must have more food, go for salads and fruits, finish off with another glass of water and leave the table once you have finished eating. Having eaten a smaller meal, you might feel a little hungry sooner than you normally do, but that's normal because your body has not adjusted to your new diet yet. Think of the people in poverty stricken countries where those people have not eaten for several days and are really dying of hunger and starvation.

Take your time to eat slowly

Do not gobble up the food immediately no matter how hungry you are. Take a small mouthful, chew slowly and thoroughly before swallowing. Have a sip of water before putting the next mouthful of food into your mouth.

Stay away from buffet restaurants

Most people tend to stuff themselves with every variety of food that is served at the buffet restaurant so as to get their money's worth for what they paid for. Don't go for all-you-can-eat deals! Go for a la carte or fine dining. Do not order a meal set that comes with big servings for every course, just because it is cheaper. Order a plate from the menu that indicates the serving is for one person.

Do not eat in front of the TV or while on the computer.

You will be so engrossed watching your favourite TV show that you will not even notice what you are eating or how much food you are eating. If you are watching a two-hour thriller on TV and haven't left the couch since the show started, chances are you have eaten a huge quantity of food in the two hours. Eating while playing on the computer is worse because most computer games never have an ending until you have killed all the dragons, monsters and bad guys.

Observe good table manners while you are eating

Try to imagine you are dining at a posh restaurant where people are observing proper dining etiquette. It is good to practice your etiquette at home so that you won't embarrass yourself or your friends when you go out with them next time.

I do hope these little tips will help you in many ways. The tips may sound simple but it requires a lot of self discipline and dedication to eliminate overeating problems. It is all up to you to follow these tips and make them work.

• Seek professional help and go for counselling.
• Stop and think whether you are really hungry. Is there a need to eat?
• Change the environment that induces you to eat. Go for a walk if you are not hungry.
• Do not deprive yourself with restrictive diets that will lead to overindulgence.