5 Tips To Stop Overeating

Following a calorie controlled diet isn’t always easy. But how can you stop yourself overeating, especially if you’re hungry and have reached your calorie limit?

Dieters need all the advice they can get to avoid overeating, so here are 5 tips which should help.

1. Don’t Set Your Calorie Limit Too Low

This really applies to those following a VLCD or very low calorie diet. It stands to reason. Diets which overly restrict your calories are impossible to stick to unless you have an iron will. So don’t set yourself ridiculous targets. Make them achievable and attainable and don’t try to lose any more than 2 pounds a week.

2. Watch Your Portions

One of the most common ways people find the weight starts creeping up, is because they’ve lost all sense of portion control. Restaurants and takeaways don’t help with this either. A typical takeaway curry, for example, might include a portion of rice large enough to feed three, but label it as serving one. Likewise with the curries. And when you’re buying ready meals, always check how many portions each meal should serve. Swapping your dinner plate for a side plate is a good way to start.

3. Cook Your Own Meals

Cooking your own meals can really help you stop overeating when you’re on a diet. By including lots of vegetables, for example, you’ll not only be making a more healthy and filling meal, the extra time spent preparing is keeping you occupied so you’re less likely to think about eating snacks. And if you do want to nibble something while preparing your meal, raw vegetables are the perfect snack.

4. Chew On Sugar Free Gum

Chewing on sugar free gum is a fantastic way to stop yourself overeating. For example, if you’ve finished your meal but feel like you want to eat more, chewing on a stick of gum can help you through that difficult period and take the need to eat away. Similarly, if you’re clearing away plates of leftover food and you can’t help but polish the leftovers off before putting them in the bin, chewing on gum can stop you adding unnecessary calories while you’re clearing up. In fact, keep a packet of chewing gum with you permanently for those times when temptation to nibble on extra calories strikes.

5. Eat Slowly While Sitting Down

Make it a rule to only eat while you are sitting down and chew your food slowly. Savour each mouthful as if it were your last. Not only should this make your meal last longer, you’re more likely to feel more satisfied after eating. Also, never grab food and eat on the run, or while walking or standing up! Eating this way means you’ll probably end up eating faster, feel hungrier sooner and eat more than you would had you sat down to properly concentrate on your food.

© Diets and Calories