We have all been there where we feel so full that we don’t know if we can even stand up or move! This happened to me on vacation this past week at a fabulous seafood restaurant. You know, one of those “all you can eat” places. The food was amazing, yet, I was completely miserable for several hours afterwards.
Occasionally this may happen but if you know you are overeating on a regular basis, below are some tips to help you curb some of those bad eating habits!
- Eat Slow– You know when you are so hungry that you seem to eat at a 90 mile an hour pace? Well, slow down! Our brain needs time for messages to sink in. The slower we eat, it will give our brain more time to realize we are full or we are getting satisfied. You will eventually get comfortable.
- Use a smaller plate– There is definitely something psychological about the plate size. Start yourself out with a small plate because your brain may begin to adjust to being ok with this size plate! I’ve noticed that at several buffet style restaurants the plates are so small. I really believe they know how much food would be stacked on a large plate. If they make them small, they hope people will get tired of making so many trips to the food bar and consequently less food will be eaten!
- Choose satisfying foods– When you are making food choices, pick the things that are actually filling instead of empty calories. As WebMD suggests, pick foods that are high in protein and fiber that will be satisfying and filling instead of cheese, milk shakes and other fattening and empty calorie types of food.
- Journal what you eat– Many of us would be surprised if we really wrote down everything we ate, how much food we actually consume! Not only how much, but how bad some of the food really is for us. I know many times I feel so tired and sluggish by mid-afternoon. If I journaled, I could probably tell why I felt the way I did based on what I had eaten!
- Eat when hungry and stop when comfortable– Sure, maybe on vacation you gorge yourself to the point of being absolutely miserable. However, on a regular daily basis, stop when you feel comfortable and satisfied. This way it can truly prevent you from overeating.
- Have an accountability partner– There is probably someone you know out there that is looking to help with their overeating habits as well. Just as it is nice to have an exercise partner, it is equally as nice to have someone you can talk to and share even your journal and can compare and talk about your food choices. Hold each other accountable to changing those eating habits!
There are many other ways to help you with your eating habits! These are just the tip of the iceberg.
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If you are in need of scheduling a women’s exam to stay as healthy as possible, please contact our Lake City or Gainesville office. Also, to learn more about women’s health issues continue browsing our blog and knowledge center.
