It is so easy to overeat. Just a little bite here and a little more there, and before you know it, you have started to put on some pounds. Your clothes may feel a little bit tight. Or maybe you just don’t have the same energy level you used to. This extra weight may be affecting your self-image and self-esteem. I hear clients and friends making stinging comments about their bodies pretty regularly. They may disguise the pain and body shame by using humor, but you can tell, the negative body feelings are front and center on their minds.
Eating Mindfully Will Help You Eat Less and Enjoy Your Food More
At Wilson Counseling, we work with people who are struggling in their relationship with food or with their body image. One of the skills we teach them is to be more mindful when they eat. Awareness is key to making good choices. I talk about mindful eating in this video. You can learn to slow down your eating and enjoy your food. Food can be a way to care for yourself and give your body pleasure if you do it mindfully.
Tips To Avoid Overeating
Besides mindful eating, there are other tips that will help you avoid overeating. Here are a handful of tips.
Put away your screens
So many of us seem to live with our phones, computers, and Ipads permanently attached to our hands. It’s a hazard of our age. But when we eat while looking at our devices, we do so in a mindless way. This tends to cause us to miss our fullness cues. We eat long past the time that our bodies are satiated. Turn off your screens and focus instead on how your food tastes and feels in your body without distractions. If feeling the food in your body causes you to feel panic, you may want to talk to a Houston eating disorder therapist.
Slow down when you eat
Take time to really sit down, slow down, and taste your food. You will enjoy your food more and generally will eat less.
Don’t skip meals
Skipping meals is a bad habit. It’s easy to do when you are busy, but it can make you more ravenous which can lead to overeating.
Don’t eat on the run
This is another one of those habits that often makes you eat more mindlessly, and therefore you are more prone to overeating and often eating processed foods that are not as good for you.
Eat fiber-rich foods (legumes, fruit, vegetables, oats)
Fiber-rich foods will fill you up and make you feel satisfied longer thereby reducing the desire to overeat. They are also great for your body.
Eat a lot of protein
The protein helps you feel full and thereby stretches the time between meals and decreases cravings. A breakfast with protein is a great way to start your day.
Planning your meals can help you eat less and eat healthier
When you plan your meals, you are more likely to eat foods that feel good in your body, are nutritious, and are an appropriate portion for your needs. Otherwise, you may end up grabbing whatever is quickest which is often processed or fast foods.
No foods are forbidden
Nothing is more attractive than the forbidden fruit. The moment you tell me not to eat ice cream, all I want to do is grab a pint and dig in. If you allow yourself to eat all foods, but in moderation, you will be more likely to stave off those cravings for the “forbidden” or “bad” foods.
Avoid eating out of containers
If I eat foods out of a container, I am far less likely to notice how much I am eating. I recommend you put the amount of food you think you may want in a bowl or on a plate. If you want to eat more, you can always get up and get more. Just don’t make it too easy for yourself to mindlessly eat out of the container.
Reduce your alcohol consumption
Drinking alcohol can decrease your inhibitions and awareness and increase your appetite which can lead to overeating. I know it’s easy to use alcohol to cope after a long day, but it will usually lead to more problems than it solves. It also just delays you getting your real needs met by temporarily numbing away your concerns.
Work on Reducing your stress level
People are often surprised to hear this, but stress can directly lead to overeating. This is because our bodies produce the hormone cortisol which can cause you to feel more hungry. Working with a therapist to decrease your stress level can help you feel less anxious and decrease your appetite in turn.
Drink more water
Our bodies need water to operate optimally. Water is good for pretty much everything from your digestion to your complexion. It can also help you to feel more full and less likely to overeat. Most people tend to overestimate the amount of water they drink.
I recommend that you track how much water you are drinking for a week. This inventory can help you determine how much more water you need. Health experts recommend drinking 8 - 8oz glasses or half a gallon of water daily.
Food is a common coping mechanism, but it can’t meet all of your real needs
We all overeat sometimes. Be patient with yourself if this is something you are struggling with. Life is hard and sometimes it feels good to use food as a way to cope. Unfortunately, food alone rarely makes you feel better for long, and very often it instead leads to feelings of shame. You may feel out of control with your eating even now. I hope this post points you in the right direction to stop overeating.
A Houston Disordered Eating Therapist can help you eat less and feel better about your body
If you are struggling with overeating and would like to talk to a professional disordered eating therapist, we have therapists who can help you work through this and feel better. You can contact us online to schedule an appointment or call 713-565-0922 to ask any questions you have about how we can be of help to you.
OTHER THERAPY SERVICES WE OFFER IN HOUSTON, TX
In addition to Eating Disorder and Body Image therapy, we have other mental health services that we offer at our Houston, TX counseling office. Our services are available for adults, children, and teens. For individuals we offer Anxiety Treatment, Couples and Marriage therapy, School and College Counseling, and Infertility Counseling. As well as Trauma Therapy, PTSD Treatment, EMDR Therapy, and LGBTQ+ Counseling. Our caring therapists also offer Family Therapy, Parenting Counseling, Career Counseling, and LPC Supervision. All of these services are also available through Online Counseling throughout Texas.
If you’re ready to get started, please contact Wilson Counseling today. Together we can get you to a better place and help you achieve a healthier lifestyle.