How to avoid overeating

One of the major hazards to your diet is overeating. Even if you are focused on eating healthy, simply eating to many calories will cause you to gain significant weight. However, the good news is that there are strategies that can help keep you from overeating, on a daily basis. Here is what you need to know about how to avoid overeating-

• Don't Skip Meals-Many people make the mistake of assuming they are dieting when they skip meals. While this sounds like a good idea in theory, what happens is that you become cranky, fatigued and probably has a headache by the time the next meal rolls around. These leaves you vulnerable to whatever food is in front of you and will most likely overeat to make up, for your skipped meal. Itis important that you eat small, healthy meals throughout the day, in order to avoid blood sugar drops that can have you bingeing at your next meal.
• Focus your diet on high fiber foods-When you eat fiber filled foods, it helps to keep you feeling full longer, and helps to prevent the type of overeating that comes with snacking. Food items like: vegetables, fruit, a bowl of oatmeal, a slice of whole grain bread, can help you keep from feeling hungry and craving foods that lead you to overeat.
• Don't deprive yourself-Often times overeating occurs because of feelings of deprivation. If you care constantly depriving yourself of the foods you love, at some point you will break down. What happens most often is that people are not then satisfied with one slice of cake, or pizza or a small dish of ice cream, and they end up eating the entire cake, pizza or carton of ice cream. Don't deprive yourself continually. Letting yourself have small portions of the foods you love is the best way to avoid overeating them.
• Slow down and pace yourself-We are a society that is always in a hurry. This has lead to the development of a nation of over-eaters. It is important to sit down and really take the time to enjoy your meal. You need to pace yourself since it takes at least 20 minutes, for your brain to tell your stomach that your full. Start with small portions and set your fork down in between bites. Sip some water and take some time to enjoy your food, along with whosever company you are eating in.
• Drink lots of water-Often times when we think we are hungry we are actually just thirsty. Mild dehydration can feel like hunger. The best way to avoid this problem is to make sure that you are drinking lots of water. Drinking plenty of water also helps you to be more mindful of what you are actually eating. The next time you feel like eating, take a moment, drink a glass of water and see if the feeling goes away. You may be surprised when it does.
• Keep healthy snacks around-It's a lot harder to overeat when your choices are much more healthy. If you are tempted at work, then stash your desk drawer full of raisins, nuts, fresh fruit or energy bars. If you are at home keep out the cookies, chips and other unhealthy snacks and stock your cupboards with better choices. This way if you feel like you are going to overeat, you will have only healthy options to choose from.
• If you fall off the wagon, get right back on-It can be difficult to never overeat. However, if you do have a slip, then don't spend time blaming yourself, just resolve that you are going to do better. Be good to yourself and remember that maintaining a healthy diet, free from overeating, happen with practice over time.