Three Things To Help Combat Overeating

I can learn a lot from my daughter.  She teaches me things she probably doesn't even realize she is doing.  Recently she taught me two things you can use to help combat overeating.  This is the part where I mention to her that it is great that she is being a good example and point out that people really do watch and pay attention so make sure you are always choosing good things so you can always be a good example etc!  But I digress...back to the subject at hand.   Two things she has recently taught me:

1.  Slow Down

She takes half an hour just to eat a roll.  Granted, she is talking a lot while she does this.  But it is something that is a good habit to practice so you don't rush through your food and end up eating more than you should.  Some cultures are known for eating long dinners clear into the night.  These are cultures that don't tend to have a lot of overweight people.  They aren't stuffing themselves until their seams burst all night long.  I think they are probably enjoying each others company and talking a lot while they are slowly eating and savoring the moment. 

If you want to take your dinner experience up a notch I recommend trying to stretch yours out a little longer too.  How?  

Take a bite. 

Put your knife and fork down. 
{You are using your knives, right?}

Chew. 

Swallow. 

Talk with your family or whomever you are dining with. 

Pick up your knife and fork and . . .

Repeat.  

Practice the art of dinner time conversation in between every single bite and enjoy being with the ones at your table.  That will slow you down which will make it harder to overeat!  That sounds easy enough, right?  If you're dining solo then try learning to eat with chopsticks ~ that will also help slow you down and make you take smaller bites. 


The second thing I learned from my daughter was when she only ate about half of her dinner the other night. 

So I asked her, 

"aren't you hungry tonight?" 

and she said, 

"Mom, I sighed". 

{like duh! Remember?}

You sighed?  Oh yes!  The sigh!  I totally forgot I had taught her about "the sigh" a few years ago! 

2.  The Stop Sigh

That would be the stop sigh not stop sign but they both do the same thing.  Tell you when to stop!!!  What is the stop sigh you might wonder?  Well, it's an interesting little trick your body does when you are eating.  You are doing it without even realizing it.  If you pay close attention while eating there will come a moment when you sigh.  This is your body's cue that you are full and you should stop eating.

A lot of us keep eating past our sigh because we aren't paying attention to our body's cues and then we end up overeating.  I know, sometimes the food is just so tasty you want to keep eating it but I've found when I listen to my body it helps me lose weight or maintain my slimness {when I was slimmer that is!  I need to start paying attention to this cue again!}.

If you feel hungry shortly afterward,  then it would be wise to pay attention to what you are actually putting in your mouth.  For me, I need to make sure I have some good proteins, they help me feel full and satisfied longer than empty carbohydrates that spike your sugar levels and give you a crash and burn hunger quickly. Which brings me to my next point which is not necessarily one my daughter taught me, but one that I hope I'm teaching her:

3.  Eat High Quality Foods

You will be surprised at how little your body needs before it is full. Our stomachs really don't hold that much ~ I think they say about a fistful of food? If you are slowing down and paying attention to your body's cues you will find that you are eating less ~ I know, duh!  But the point I want to make is if you are eating less food then it becomes very important to be sure that you are putting in nothing but the best, highest quality foods! 

Yes, that means you can  spend more money on less food that is of high quality because you won't be eating that much of it! Yes, go ahead and indulge in those rich sauces.   Go for the full fat flavor!  {Remember fats aren't all bad!  Some are very good for you!  And they will also help you stay feeling full for longer as long as they aren't loaded with too much sugar!}  Enjoy the good stuff!  Make sure it is real food, not faux processed stuff.  Don't fill yourself full of junk!


Anyway, these are all tips that have helped me in the past.  But I needed a good reminder!  I'm glad my daughter is such a good example! I am renewing my resolve to be a little better!  Here's to mindful eating!

Do you have any tricks to combat overeating?

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