The 5 ways you’re eating too much.
Breaking old habits can be tough, especially when setting yourself big goals based on your health and fitness. Often the first step is to actually recognise that you have an unhealthy habit that’s holding you back.
This week I’m lifting the lid on the 5 ways you’re eating too much without even realising.Do any of these sound familiar? Let us know below in the coments or on our Facebook Page
No 1: The Meal Stuffer
Do you tend to eat quickly, clearing your plate and head back for seconds? You would say you had a “healthy” appetite but you end most meals feeling uncomfortably full.
Try This Instead
Instead of piling up your plate ready for a rapid demolition use a smaller plate than normal and make sure its only filled within the limits of the plate, not piled extra high.
If you’re a sucker for seconds then make yourself wait 20 minutes before heading back. This will let your food to start to digest and will teach you to listen to your body and understand if you actually hungry.
Slow down your eating by chewing your food 15-20 times. This is an old tip but its been around for a long time for good reason. Without spending your hard earned cash on weight loss products and supplements try this super easy practical tip. This acts to help your food digest more quickly and in turn helps to make you feel.
If you find yourself reaching for more food at the table then its time to rethink your serving. Make the table a clear place where you just sit to eat. Plate up all your food in the kitchen and away from where you eat. This will allow you to use correct portion sizes without diving in for sneaky extras.
No 2: The Snack Grazer
The snack grazer struggles to avoid snacking all day long and will dive into any boxes of chocolates at the office, extra cakes at the coffee shop and often heads off on regular trips to the vending machine. Typically snacking three or more times per day these are seldom limited to healthy choices they pre-planned to eat that day. This type of snacking is rarely done out of hunger but a disconnect with what their body is actually telling them and a possible problem with balancing glucose levels due to excess sugar.
Try This Instead
If you mindlessly graze all day then try chewing gum as it will distract you from heading to the vending machine of your secret snack drawer.
Always portion up your snacks and avoid eating directly from the packet. This helps you to learn what correct portion sizes look like visually and to avoid overeating by piling through the whole packet.
Plan and prep your snacks the night before to help make sure you have the right things available during the day. Make sure you keep any tempting food out of the way. If you have a work vending card then try leaving it at home.
No 3: The BBQ Binger
When attending a social event where food is a main attraction such as a BBQ do you struggle to stop picking at the conveyor belt of food and snacks? With so much distraction from friends, evocative food being cooked in the fresh air and a bit of alcohol to help it all go down it can be very challenging to not eat from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave.
Try This Instead
Choose a seat that is more than arm’s length from the buffet table to avoid mindlessly topping up your plate with extra snacks.
Chose a small plate where possible and make sure you bulk it out with salad, making sure you have eaten all of it before you return for seconds. Yes BBQ’s can include salad and it’s ok to eat them as well.
The hosts always eat the least as they are busy cooking and looking after the guests so why not offer to help with the cooking and distract your mind. Equally its important to remember that most hosts will be more concerned that everyone has eaten enough food. If you stop eating the food will stop coming.
No 4: The Restaurant Splurge
You are known to eat out 2-3 times per week and enjoy every minute of it. Three courses is your favourite passtime with generous starters, large mains with sides and indulgent desserts. Often topped off with a bottle or two of wine and sometimes a night cap to send you on your way.
Try This Instead
Ask the waiter to remove the bread from your table.
Order a starter or dessert to share but never both.
Skip the appetizers and stick to just a main meal with a side salad.
Ask for salads with no dressing, potatoes and vegetables with no butter.
Order a bottle of water for the table and enjoy a glass of nice wine to compliment you main meal.
No. 5: The Non Stop Desktop Diner
You are a born multi-tasker and eating at your work station is just common sense to you. You grab food on the go from convenience shops, vending machines and fast food chains. You don’t plan meals ahead and always feel like you’re playing catch up with work, diet and deadlines.
Try This Instead
When you cook you evening meal the night before prepare the next day’s lunch and snacks ready to take with you in the morning.
Make sure your work area has healthy high protein snacks stored for emergencies such as nuts to keep you feeling full when you’re feeling stressed.
Go to the supermarket on your way home from work to buy the next day’s snacks and lunch to make sure you are always on track and planning ahead.
Turn the computer off, park the car or take a seat in the park to eat. Even if its 10-15 minutes each day this time will help you chew you food properly, engage with your eating and just as importantly let your mind unwind a little of the days stresses. You will feel fuller because you will recognize you have actually eaten and your work will be better quality as you have taken some time to get clarity in your morning.
By engaging with your eating habits and understanding where your actually eating too much it can be much clearer where you need to make some changes. Small changes equal big results. So which of our eaters are you? Is it one in particular or do a few of these habits sound familiar. Let us know if you found this useful and what you think below or post up on our Facebook page.
Andy Strong
Fundamentally FIT Ltd
