7 Tips to Avoid Overeating

For a little girl, I eat a LOT! More than my share, to be honest. (I’m only 5 feet tall and I often eat as much as my boyfriend.) It’s one of the reasons I need to work out and do a lot of yoga – to try to make up for my appetite.

But I’ve also been working on not eating quite so much. One of the things you’re supposed to do as a practitioner of yoga is eat moderately. Heh. Practice, practice.

I know you might struggle with overeating as well. Food can be so good! And addicting.

But even healthy food isn’t good for you when you put far more in your belly than you need.

So I thought I’d put together some suggestions for you and I to try in the pursuit of finding moderation.

Tips to not over eat:

1. Write down everything you eat: When you keep a food diary it helps you gain perspective on what exactly goes in your mouth and how much. You might not have an extra serving of dinner or pint of ice cream for the simple fact that you don’t want to record it in your journal.
2. Portion your meals and snacks: Put what you know you need on your plate for enjoyment and sustenance, but no more. Don’t go back for seconds or eat as you cook or clean up – those extras really add up.
3. Brush your teeth: This one really works for me. As soon as you’ve finished the portion you know is right for you, go brush your teeth. You’re a lot less likely to keep eating or snacking if your mouth feels fresh.
4. Don’t bring it into the house: If you know it isn’t good for you or a part of the healthy diet you really want to stick to, don’t buy it. That goes for chips, cookies, ice cream, soft drinks, and the like. If it isn’t around you won’t eat it.
5. Drink lots of water: By drinking water first thing in the morning and in between meals, you are less likely to eat when you’re not hungry. When you’re hydrated, it gives your body the fluid it needs to build muscle, metabolize food, get rid of toxins and fat, and supports every other system in your body. Plus, calories in your drinks really add up, so you can avoid those by sticking to pure water.
6. Don’t Skip Meals: Starving yourself doesn’t work. The body goes into survival mode and holds onto fat, and you end up eating more food when you do eat.
7. Don’t Spike Your Blood Sugar: Eating low glycemic foods is one of the most important ways to stay steady in your cravings. When you eat high glycemic foods (most breads, pastas, sugar treats, white potatoes, etc) you get on a roller coaster of blood sugar spikes and crashes that leave you desperate for food and much more likely to binge.

I hope those help you get a handle on the amount of food you eat. The good thing is that after you’re used to eating smaller portions, it gets easier because your body gets used to it.

Doing yoga and working out are another important aspect of being healthy. Check out my Kamloops yoga classes and Kamloops yoga boot camp for some great local choices.

There are many studies that show how much healthier people are when they only eat what they need rather than overeating. As you shift your eating habits toward moderation you’ll likely feel and LOOK a lot lighter.

Your body will thank you!