How to Prevent Overeating

Happy Food /

Many of us overeat due to emotions or because we’ve created a habit of large portions at each meal/snack.  We are also constantly reminded of food with food messages everywhere and food for sale everywhere, at all times.  This makes us eat when we are not hungry, eat more, and end up gaining weight. Here are 3 strategies to help you conquer overeating:

  1. Eat with your eyes too.  Look at your food and just eat. Studies show that we eat more when we multitask.  Make it a technology-free meal, eat away from your desk, stop working, and unplug.  It is your time to relax and recharge so you can continue your day, full of energy.  Don’t let other people take that from you.
  2. Respond to cravings.  Many of us can relate to eating when we are stressed, angry, bored, sad, or anxious.  We immediately gravitate to comfort food when these emotions come up.  Interestingly, studies show that people with high stress have less emotional control and strategic planning.  How can you feed your soul through nonfood ways?  Maybe a walk, talk with a friend, meditate, use music/art, exercise, etc? I always suggest drinking a glass of water, go doing something for at least 10 minutes, and most of the time, you’ve gotten over your craving and curved the immediate urge to medicate with comfort food.
  3. Watch out for addictive ingredients.  Salts, sugars, and unhealthy fats (aka, processed foods) can trick our brain to eating more.  Everyone in my office changes their palate through healthy eating and understanding nutrition, then we consume less processed junk, and therefore stop overeating and gaining weight.

If there are changes you’d like to make in your stress level, eating habits, exercise, and overall health and happiness, start with a free health consultation at www.HappyFoodHealth.com or (619) 876-2655. See if this is the right match for you. I do things very differently to make health a natural lifestyle and this is not for everyone. Check out Yelp for other people’s opinion of Happy Food.

~ Samantha Hua, Nutrition & Holistic Health Coach, San Diego, CA