Can’t Stop Overeating?
Have you struggled with your weight, gone off and on diets, or tend to eat past the point of being full? Try changing the way you think about food. Most of us have hardwired our brains to look forward to foods filled with fat, salt and sugar. These types of foods release “feel good” chemicals in the brain’s reward center and over time, we associate the subtle, yet pleasurable, change in mood with eating certain foods, and we also become addicted to these foods.
Here are a few steps to help break this cycle:
Make the connection between healthy foods and pleasure.
This connection will build over time by being mindful of the pleasure of eating healthy foods. What also happens is that you are re-training your taste buds. For example, once you begin to reduce salt in your diet, you will not crave salt and as a result,salty foods will taste extremely salty to you. The same applies with sugar and fats.
Practice mindful eating.
Pay attention to how the foods you eat taste and feel. By focusing on what you’re eating, emotions (boredom, anxiety) and stress will be less likely control how much you eat.
Eat.
Make sure to eat three meals and two snacks each day. This is important as it stabilizes blood sugar preventing the desire to overeat or make poor health choices. Exercise will help as well.
Change Your Environment.
When the urge to overeat rears its ugly head, distraction is key. Immediately leave the room, take a walk, read a book, call a friend, play with your children, and most effective is to move your body such as taking a walk. Exercise releases feel-good chemicals that affect your outlook and it works like a charm.
Remember: You can control this! Remind yourself of this often, in a positive way and frequently. This will help set the tone and can act as a tool for gaining control.
The key is in understanding why you overeat and then change your response to the foods that you like but are not so healthy for you.
…and I’m here supporting you every step of the way. ~Lori Author of the best-selling book ‘Fire-Up Your Fat Burn!’ http://tinyurl.com/7ytb923