Strategize to Minimize: Tips to avoid overeating!

When I fall off the weight loss wagon, it’s because of two things: lack of motivation or time to work out and overeating. In our culture, many of our traditions have food as a center point. Thanksgiving, Christmas, family reunion barbeques, etc. And I remember my family always have second or thirds and then have a snack an hour later! As I've lost weight, I've learned about portion control and serving sizes (without needing seconds and a snack later), but sometimes, overating can still get the best of me and hinder my weight loss efforts.

Overeating can come from a combination of factors:

•Stress

•Trigger foods (trail mix, pretzel sticks, anything salty and “carby” and I will scarf it down in one sitting…don’t even get me started on peanut butter!)

•Incorrect portion control servings in a restaurant and at home.

•Mindless eating while watching TV.

•Eating dinner right after a hard workout.

While overeating is hard to avoid, there are some strategies you can do to minimize those slip-ups:

•Find other ways to cope with stress. Perhaps you need to vent to a friend instead of grabbing that ice cream.

•Remove trigger foods from your house. Don’t buy them when you go grocery shopping. If you have to buy a trigger food, portion them out before you even eat anything.

•Learn the correct portion sizes. If you eat a restaurant, ask for half of your meal to be put in a doggie bag before it comes out. Use this helpful slideshow from MayoClinic on learning how to spot correct and incorrect portion sizes.

•Find other things to do with your hands to keep you busy while watching TV. Paint your nails, surf the Web, or even do crunches or stretching.

•When working out, be sure you’re drinking plenty of water and bring a healthy post-workout snack. Perhaps it’s a small banana or a handful of almonds. Something to help quench the hunger. Chewing gum helps the brain chill out before you dinner time, allowing you to make healthy decisions without the grumbling in your stomach.

What do you do to stop overeating?