Cuprins
Among the many causes of excess weight, at least one is a habit — persistent, harmful, common and underestimated. This is overeating. Corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences tells about how it develops and what is its danger.
Overeating is consuming more calories than you expend. This happens to most people from time to time: nightly trips to the fridge, repeated trips to the holiday buffet, and relapses after strict diets…
In all these cases, most often a person does not experience real physical hunger. At the same time, it is characteristic that usually preference is given to food rich in carbohydrates and fats — sweets, fast food, snacks, sweetened drinks.
Why is this happening? Eating habits are formed in childhood, when parents require children to eat every last crumb. Who has not heard the words “until you finish your meal, you won’t get up from the table”, “ice cream only after hot”, “for mom, for dad”?
Thus, a tendency to overeat and the wrong motivation to consume food is formed. The abundance of food advertising, its focus on a young audience, stress, eating while watching TV or working at a computer also make a significant contribution.
8 ways to cut down on food
The traditional advice of nutritionists to leave the table slightly hungry is not easy to follow in practice — many overeating people simply cannot understand when it is time to stop. There are other ways to help you train yourself to eat less without much effort.
No. 1. Eat only if you are hungry
If you feel that you no longer feel hungry, get up from the table, even if the plate is not yet empty. Don’t try to finish everything by promising yourself to eat less next time.
No. 2. Don’t Put Too Much Food in at Once
It’s better to add supplements later than to try to finish everything that is on the plate. A good way is to use a smaller than usual plate.
No. 3. Use light-colored dishes
It clearly shows what and in what quantity lies in front of you.
No. 4. Eat slowly
Eating should last at least 20 minutes for the brain to receive a satiety signal. For full assimilation of food, you need to chew it thoroughly — at least 20-30 times.
No. 5. Try to eat on time
The body quickly gets used to the diet, starting to produce gastric juice and digestive enzymes by a certain time. Eating regularly will help you avoid overeating and evenly expend energy throughout the day.
No. 6. Don’t eat with a book or a movie
Being distracted by something while eating — reading a book, movies, TV shows, even just talking, people stop controlling the amount of food eaten and the signals that the body gives.
No. 7. Drink enough water
Quite often we mistake thirst for hunger. If you feel like eating at an unusual time, drink a glass of water — that might be enough.
No. 8. Don’t cook ahead
When there is a lot of ready-made food in the house, people tend to finish everything so as not to throw it away. Prepare for one time. In addition, it will reduce the risk of food poisoning.
When Overeating Needs a Doctor
Frequent, recurring episodes of overeating in response to stressful situations can be symptoms of an eating disorder called compulsive overeating.
It is worth considering seeking help if you notice more than three symptoms more than once a week for three months:
eat even if you’re not hungry
eat faster than usual
eat until physical discomfort appears,
lose control over the amount of food,
Eating alone because of embarrassment about the amount of food you eat
plan time for binge episodes and buy food for them in advance,
can’t remember later what was eaten,
underestimate or, conversely, overestimate the size of your body
Like other eating disorders, binge eating is an expression of deeper psychological problems. People with compulsive overeating are at high risk of obesity, cardiovascular and digestive diseases, and diabetes.
Compulsive overeating is mostly treated with psychotherapy. In some cases, the doctor may prescribe medications or bariatric surgery.