For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts

Are You A Compulsive Eater? Expert Tips To Stop Overeating

| Reviewed By Sneha Krishnan

Overeating in a single sitting or consuming excessive amounts of calories throughout the day are common habits that can be difficult to break. While some people view these behaviours as unhealthy habits that can be broken, they may indicate an eating disorder in others.

Over time, having too much food can lead to weight gain and increase the risk of developing chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease [1][2]. Even if you do not suffer from an eating disorder, it can be difficult to break the cycle of overeating. However, some techniques may be of assistance.

Expert Tips To Stop Overeating

Tips To Stop Overeating

There are simple strategies that will help you change your behaviour and also put an end to overeating. We tend to overeat because we are emotionally hungry. Emotional hunger draws us into a cycle of stress, depression, boredom, fear, loneliness and emotional emptiness [3].

  • Understanding your trigger foods and avoiding them can help decrease the likelihood of overeating [4].
  • Eliminate distractions because, while this habit might seem harmless, it can contribute to overeating [5].
  • Do not consume food directly from containers.
  • Whenever possible, avoid skipping meals because it can result in intense hunger, which can, in many cases, lead to overeating when you eventually do eat.
  • As stress can result in overeating, it is important to find ways to reduce the amount of stress in your daily life.
  • Maintain a regular eating schedule.
  • If you eliminate many of your favourite foods from your diet, you may feel deprived, leading you to binge on 'forbidden' foods, so don't give up your favourite foods suddenly [6].
  • Foods rich in fibre, such as beans, vegetables, oats, and fruit, can help keep you feeling satisfied longer and reduce your appetite.
Expert Tips To Stop Overeating
  • Consume healthy fats such as avocados, nuts, seeds, nut butter, and olive oil.
  • Eat various protein-rich foods to keep your body full throughout the day. This will reduce your desire to overeat throughout the day [7].
  • Choose foods with low glycaemic indexes, such as beans, oats, brown rice, etc., to stabilize your blood sugar levels [8].
  • Replace sugary drinks with water.
  • Maintain a food journal.
  • Eating slowly will reduce the risk of overeating and weight gain in the long run.
  • Watch your alcohol consumption.
  • Get rid of the diet mentality. Fad diets are unlikely to assist you in preventing overeating in the long run.
  • Practice mindful eating. While eating, it is important to be in the moment and aware of thoughts, emotions, and senses [9].
  • Try volumetrics. It is an eating style that emphasizes the consumption of low calorie, high fibre foods such as non-starchy vegetables [10].

Does Drinking Water Or Soup Before A Meal Help Avoid Overeating?

The consumption of two cups of water before a meal may help control your appetite and prevent overeating. The water will take up more space in your stomach, tricking your stomach into sending the "I am full" signals to your brain more quickly than if you had not consumed water before your meal.

Have a glass of water or juice 30 minutes before the meal. Another way to stop yourself from overeating is by having soup at the beginning of your meal. This will not only fill you up and stop you from overeating, but it will also aid in digestion [11][12].

Expert Tips To Stop Overeating

On A Final Note...

The distinction between overeating and binge eating disorder (BED) is crucial. The behaviour of binge eating is recognized as a psychiatric disorder. A person with BED is likely to require treatment from a team of medical professionals in order to overcome it.

An episode of BED is characterized by eating a large amount of food very quickly to discomfort, despite not being hungry. Following a binge, a person may feel shame or guilt.

Sneha KrishnanGeneral Medicine
MBBS
Sneha Krishnan