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How to prevent overeating

In the past, overeating was considered a common eating disorder. It is currently considered a serious medical condition that can be life threatening.

For example, in the United States, overeating is the most common eating disorder, affecting 3.5% of women, 2% of men, and up to 1.6% of adolescents. However, you can change your attitude towards food to help you get rid of your psychogenic overeating.

1. Consult your doctor. Before embarking on the treatment of overeating, it is necessary to consult a doctor who can make the correct diagnosis - only a specialist can determine this eating disorder. Your doctor will analyze your physical and emotional symptoms and help you find the best treatment.

Photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash

2. Eat only when you are really hungry. One of the main problems of psychogenic overeating is eating when you are not hungry. This habit often leads to overeating. Instead of eating when you first feel like it because of stress or some other reason, eat when you are really hungry.

3. As soon as you feel hungry, you should eat or have a snack. If you wait until the hunger rises, then you will be tempted to eat as much as possible.

4. Don't eat out if you are bored. Some people eat just because they are bored.

Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

5. If you want to have a snack, but you are not hungry, ask yourself if the craving is caused by the fact that you are bored. Are you looking in the refrigerator simply because you have nothing to do? If this is the case, do not eat.

6. Control your portion sizes. One of the ways to reduce the risk of overeating is to control portion sizes. Do not eat anything directly from a box, as this way you won't know how much you ate. To control portion sizes, place meals and snacks in bowls or plates. It can help you maintain healthy eating habits and avoid overeating.

7. Eat on a schedule. Eating regularly at the same time helps to avoid overeating. If you spend half a day without food and get very hungry, then you run the risk of overeating.You can eat three times a day, or eat 5-6 small meals. Find a way to eat healthy and enjoyable foods so that your food is tasty and nutritious.Thus, you will feel like you are eating what you really like, and not just eating tasteless monotonous food.

Photo by Taylor Kiser on Unsplash

8. Keep healthy snacks in your house so you can grab a bite to eat between meals. You should eat three times per a day, but snack on healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, and nuts between these main meals.

9. People often overeat because they are in a rush and do not pay attention to what they eat. Paying attention to everything you eat will reduce the risk of forgetting yourself and eating too much.

10. Eat slowly: see what the food looks like, smell it, feel its texture and taste. It will help you become aware of what you are eating. Avoid snacking for twenty minutes while preparing dinner, and do not eat leftovers when removing food from the table.

Photo by Diana Polekhina on Unsplash

Here you can read the research about how body reacts on overeating.

Once we start to overeat, it can be difficult for us to stop - holidays and holidays are proof of this. The constant stream of goodies confuses the brain, and we stop distinguishing between hunger and satiety signals. To get rid of overeating, you can practice intermittent fasting or intuitive eating, or you can engage in the education of willpower.

But remember, before making a decision, be sure to consult a doctor in order to be not just beautiful with a dream figure, but also healthy.

Cover photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash

Julia Stecher is an award-winning fitness model, professional nutritionist, and certified personal trainer who provides personal training services in Zurich and online.

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