Nine ways to reduce the amount of food you eat «How do you get yourself to stop eating so much?» – this question may seem an unusual one. Nevertheless, it is the question that many overweight women worry about (moreover, the wording of the question may be more emphatic, such as «How do I stop eating?»). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in recent years there has been an increase in the number of people who are obese. Causes of this disease can vary, but in many cases it is caused by common overeating. Instead of eating when a person is hungry, he eats and for any other «reason» – could not pass by the delicious smelling pastry, ate a hamburger from boredom, ice cream from stress, chocolate from depression (if interested, there is an answer to the question of why we want chocolate) … And women have another «excuse» for overeating, which they use once a month – PMS (but sometimes it is very «delayed»). How do you control the unjustified desire to eat something tasty, not to satisfy hunger, but just for the sake of pleasure? Or just not to eat «too much»? What you will need to cope with this plague: Willpower Small plates Useful habits Rules for moderate eating 1. Drink plain water throughout the day. It will fill your stomach and you will feel full much faster. 2. Include hearty meals, but not those that just contain a lot of calories. Eat less fatty, sugary foods, and avoid fast food/semi-foods. As cliché as it sounds, the rule does work. Instead of dense, calorie-dense foods, choose dishes that contain large amounts of plant fibers and proteins. That way, you’ll feel your stomach fill faster. As for cravings for sweets, this is a separate and very important conversation. For many sweet eaters, this is a real problem. Read how to overcome an addiction to sweets, let’s cope together!

3. Stop eating as soon as you feel the first signs of satiety. Observe yourself to identify the «signals» your body gives you when your stomach is full (usually an incipient heaviness in the stomach and dulling of the food receptors – a full person feels less appetizing than a hungry one). Once you recognize them – throw away everything left on your plate and leave the table. How to Stop Eating Too Much: 9 Steps to Eating Well

4. Start doing something if you’re eating out of boredom. For example, instead of eating a pack of chips in front of the TV, make an appointment with a friend, go to the pool or just go for a walk in the nearest park. Any activity will distract you from a false sense of hunger.

5. What if it’s stress and anxiety, not boredom, that’s driving you to the fridge? Awareness that eating won’t solve the problem will help. A pastry is not the answer, it won’t do you any good. Make a habit or ritual that will help you relax. For example, when you can not find yourself, do something for which you have not had time for a long time – take a wellness treatment, make a mask, arrange an aromatherapy session, take a relaxing bath (by the way, here you can combine business with pleasure: for example, a bath with soda is not only soothing, but also promotes weight loss). As an option – you can try to occupy your hands with a «rub» stress-ball, or make a self-massage with a special anti-stress ring, sold at the drugstore.

6. Another effective way to protect yourself from the temptation to eat too much is to eliminate those temptations. Don’t keep a lot of «yummy» things in the fridge. After all, even just the sight of some yummy treats can easily nullify all willpower. This point is also a rule: don’t go to the store hungry, so as not to buy too much.

7. Eat more often, but in smaller portions. This is also the commonplace truth for all weight loss practitioners. But somehow from knowing to following this rule is a chasm. Small – and healthy! – snacking can help you feel energetic all day long. Whereas a heavy lunch can lead to sleepiness, and then even demand a «continuation of the banquet. Take a break between meals, adapt it to your body individually. As a rule, it is 2-3 hours.

8. Reduce the size of portions. A kind of trick: the brain will «think» that you ate a regular steak, but in fact you cooked it for 30-50 grams smaller.

9. Make a food diary where you keep a record of what you eat. This will help you evaluate your menu and find the places where your meals are far from rational. Work on your mistakes by analyzing your records.