Without thinking you reach into the bag and take another handful of chips, or you reflexively order a large fries and a greasy burger with all the fixings. These are examples of mindless eating and we all do it, at least occasionally. But for some of us, it’s a habit that leads to serious weight gain. Here are proven ways to help you think before you eat:
Never Eat Out Of The Box, Bag or Carton There’s no way to keep track of how much you’re eating and before you know it, the bag is empty. Instead, fill a small bowl. With this strategy, even if you go back for more, it will be a conscious decision. This includes that container of ice cream, too!
Don’t Eat While You’re Watching TV If you’re eating while paying attention to something else, without realizing it you can easily add on hundreds of calories. It’s a much better idea to put all distractions aside and concentrate on the flavoring and texture of food. Allow your brain to get the chance to tell your stomach it’s had enough.
Ban Junk Food From Your House Why tempt yourself? If you fill your fridge with fruit, sliced vegetables like carrots and celery, or low-fat yogurt you can still snack but without gaining weight. If you’ve had guests the night before and you have some fattening foods around, bring them to the office or book club to share.
Switch Your Plate Size Several studies show people eat less when they put it onto smaller dishes. Conversely, when we put food on a large plate, our brains think we are getting smaller portions and we pile it on to fill the dish.
Eat Slowly Chew your food. Taste your food. Enjoy it. Take your time. Don't talk constantly throughout dinner. Concentrate on the tastes you're experiencing. When you are out with friends at a restaurant, by all means enjoy yourself, but don't let yourself get so distracted that you don't pay attention to how much you’re eating.
Stop Eating Before You’re Full Our bodies were trained over millions of years to overeat because this might be our last meal for a while. But in the modern world, food is practically everywhere. So we need to learn to not listen to our bodies in this one respect. Recognize that fullness is actually a sensation that lags twenty minutes after we finish a meal. We won’t actually feel full the moment we finish. So stop when you’re almost satiated.
Don’t Be A Member Of The Clean Plate Club When having dinner in a restaurant, take some food home with you. And no matter what size plate you use, remember to eat until you're 70-80% full, and then save the rest back for leftovers later. This has the added benefit, of course, of saving you from having to cook an extra meal.
Forgive Yourself Guilt can lead to gluttony. So if you break a rule, don’t beat yourself up; just remind yourself you now have another chance to get back on track.
