5 Common Problems that Lead to Overeating and How to Get Rid of Them

Overeating or binging is a prevailing issue. It can result in various health issues, starting from heartburn in the short term and leading to obesity in the future. It has also been considered to be linked with multiple GI symptoms such as abdominal pain, especially in the upper gastrointestinal tract, diarrhea, and bloating. According to a renowned medical weight loss clinic, you are not going to be obese by eating too much one time; however, it might compel pain, discomfort, and interfer with sleep. Even though people anticipate that these symptoms will prevent them from overeating, but it is not the case.

The human body acquaints oneself with overeating by releasing dopamine which encourages us to binge even more. Even if overeating induces discomfort or pain, we might sense a force to indulge in overeating. This is an essential element of how food addiction builds up. So, regularly overeating over a quite long duration of time, without an ample amount of exercise can result in obesity.

This situation becomes more complex, and it is because there is not only one kind of overeating. It can take place as a result of who you are with, how you feel, and various other factors. Here are some of the significant factors of overeating and how you can tackle them.

Mindless Eating at Social Events:

While you try to fit in a social gathering or a party, the food table generally acts as a safe zone. Social eating is a healthy activity, and it is a widely accepted practice. However, there are certain people who are regularly under pressure to eat socially, like those who meet over business meals and who regularly wine and dine with others. They might be in the habit of overeating, especially when the expectation is for high-calorie and large portions of food. Some people, who hesitate to interact in these social events, stay over the food table. However, sticking around the table’s means extra bowls of chips and cheese board, which is an effortless method to overindulge.

How to avoid it: Try not to spend your time at the food table, if you are not hungry. To make it more effective, you should inspect the buffet table first. It will help you to come to a better conclusion about what you want to eat. You should grab a plate, fill its one-fourth or half portion with food and use the remaining part for veggies and fruit.

Not Getting the Required Nutrients:

If you are overeating on a regular basis, regardless of your best intentions, your body is not getting the correct foods. If you are just eating veggies with entree salad, it is not going to fill you up. If you fail to sum up a few filling foods to your salad, you will start feeling hungry very quickly. It will make you eat again, resulting in overeating. Relying upon plenty of refined carbs can also cause you to overeat. Some of them are sugar, pasta or white bread. In the beginning, refined carbs might give an energy boost to our body. Although, an insulin spike might result in a sugar crash. This will make you feel hungry, and you might be eating frequently.

How to Avoid It: To feel filled for a longer duration you should include fiber and protein-rich foods into your diets, such as lentils, chickpeas or lean meat.

Misjudging Portion Size:

If you are not aware of the fact that how much you should eat, you are definitely going to overeat. Every individual needs a different portion size due to factors such as gender, age, and profession. Plenty of time, people buy supersize meal portions, which is much larger than a regular meal portion. This means you might be consuming a huge quantity of food than required. It can lead to poor nutrition and obesity if eaten on a daily basis.

How to Avoid It: To get rid of this possibility, you should always fill your half plate with whole grains and lean protein, and another half with veggies and fruits.

Skimping on Produce:

People tend to eat more if they are not eating water in ample amount. In simple words, they do not include an adequate amount of veggies and fruits into their meals. Fruits and vegetables contain high water content, and it can fill you up without consuming extra calories. This means you will eat less of your meals, if you consume a salad before your meals.

How to Avoid It: You should concentrate on adding veggies and fruits to your meals whenever you can. You can also pair your string cheese with carrots or cherry tomatoes, or use fresh blueberries to top your French toast.

Getting Too Hungry:

If you are feeling too hungry, it can also result in overeating. People tend to make poor decisions regarding food consumption when their stomach is empty. They prefer to go for convenient alternatives such as fatty, processed, or food filled with sugar. You should go for small and regular meals, and try to include healthy snacks between them. This will help you to avoid the situation of hunger that forces you to tear a large size bag of tortilla chips.

How to Avoid It: Try to have a small snack before going out. It will avert the possibilities of being overly hungry and indulge in overeating. You can also go for a few pieces of fruit, a handful of nuts or a few whole-grain crackers.

The Bottom Line:

There is a vast population struggling with overeating. However, by good fortune, there are plenty of methods to take control of your eating habits. You should try to include more protein in your meals, reduce your stress levels, and implement an attentive eating approach. You can also look for medical weight loss clinics to get proper counseling and substantial assistance to help you get back on the healthy track. We all know that overeating is a difficult habit to get rid of; however, you can easily do it. Make sure to follow all these suggestions, as this will help you to commence a new and healthy eating habit. And, do not forget to look for professional help, if required!