Getting Rid of Overeating

Overeating or binge eating has been the main cause of obesity in the world. Many of the underlying issues of binge eaters are similar to those of anorexics and bulimics, so the same treatment techniques apply. Cognitive-behavioral, psycho-dynamic treatment with a family systems focus in the context of a secure treatment relationship is the most effective.

Normally, the elements that cause these disorders involve brain and body chemistry, physiology, unhealthy eating, and other behavioral patterns, such as emotional and social issues. These factors need to be addressed in order to attain optimal treatment results.

Behavioral Remedies for Binge Eating Disorder

Along with more scientific approaches such as psychotherapy, behavioral techniques that allow individuals to avoid temptations are generally effective. These techniques include:

• If your binging often occurs in the car, take a different route home to avoid temptation. Bring a companion along for the ride. However, do not bring a buffet-eating champion.
• Keep a small cooler in your car that contains nutritionally dense food, prepared and prepackaged. Just be sure to leave the unhealthy ones at home.
• Wear an elastic band on one of your wrist and snap it hard to remind yourself to avoid overeating. This serves as your conscience, and a device to keep you awake during sleepy situations.
• Do not bring unhealthy snacks or trigger food home. This practice should be done based on consensus, compromise, and an action plan. It would be difficult not to bring chips, sweets, and desserts home, especially when you live with kids, or even a bigger problem–pregnant moms. So, it is a matter of compromise, really.
• Try to avoid sugary food. Eliminating sugar from your diet can be an integral part of reducing binge eating episodes. The problem with this approach: restriction generally breeds greater compulsion and obsessiveness. Don’t worry, there’s no sugar!

Treatment for Overeating

Treatment that only addresses the emotional aspect of the eating disorder would not be successful. To break the vicious cycle of overeating, especially compulsive overeating, clinical symptoms of emotional weakness and the behavioral aspect of the condition should be treated.

The most effective weight loss programs are comprehensive. They combine diet, nutritional education, exercise, medication, behavioral modification or lifestyle change, and long-term maintenance support.

Recovering from compulsive overeating and losing weight are very difficult processes that require long-term changes, along with professional guidance to learn new eating habits and to maintain the weight loss.

Techniques to Avoid Overeating and Weight Gain

• Eat all meals and snacks in one location.
• Sit down when eating and eat slowly.
• Avoid other activities while eating.
• Keep a food diary on a weekly basis to become aware of your eating habits.
• Use a smaller plate or bowl.
• Do not keep food that can be a source of weight gain around, just to avoid temptation.
• Try not to go for multiple rounds. If you must, choose a salad or vegetables.
• Stay away from the kitchen except for meals.
• Shop for groceries when you are not hungry.
• Store food out of sight, but not necessarily out of reach.
• Exercise regularly. Exercise faithfully. Exercise willingly.
• Weigh yourself no more than once a week.
• Find other ways to reward yourself besides eating.
• Find responses other than eating to feelings like sadness, anxiety, loneliness, boredom, frustration, and anger.
• Set goals to change eating behaviors. Make small changes and be patient. Changing habits does take time and a lot of effort.

Skills for Any Setting

Wherever you are or whatever you do, eating habits can be changed. Whether you are cooking your own meal, eating at work, or just taking a snack during a game, you can apply these techniques to change your eating habits for the better:

• Know Your Portion Sizes. Make your own set of portion packs that you can take anywhere, literally or imaginatively. The following items can be indicators of how much you should prepare or eat during meals. For example, a golf ball is the size of a serving of cheese, or a deck of playing cards is equivalent to three ounces of any meat, or a computer mouse is equal to one serving of cooked potatoes.

• Divide Your Plate. You should fill your plate with various types of food, from fruits and vegetables to protein-rich food and starches. It is best if you could fill half, or even more, of your plate with fruits and vegetables. Meat, grains, potatoes, bread, and the like should make up around a quarter of your plate. Just be sure to have a larger serving of healthy food.

• Quench Your Hunger with Water. As much as possible drink water to go along with your meals instead of high-calorie, low nutrient drinks like soda and alcohol. Most people do not meet the eight to ten-glass requirement, so drinking water outside the house could help you reach that goal. Drink water before, during, and after every meal to slow yourself down while curbing hunger.

• Fill Up on Fiber. The healthiest food are high in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole unprocessed grains. By adding fiber to your diet, you actually feel fuller for a longer period, so you would probably eat less. It also aids in weight loss and healthy digestion.

• Supportive Groups are Crucial. Surround yourself with positive people who value health and motivate you to reach your goals. Whenever you feel tempted or emotionally incapable of resisting food on your own, turn to your support group for guidance and motivation.

Tips at Home

When you are at home, you have complete control of what comprises your meal, which is a great opportunity to eliminate overeating. However, it can also be a threat to your diet. Once you are at the privacy of your house, you can eat all you want. It may be self-defeating, but sometimes temptation is just too attractive to refuse. Here are ways on how to keep yourself on-track:

• Bring Home Healthy Fast Food. Though this may sound impossible, there are actually fast food choices that would not ruin your diet. Try vegetarian restaurants.

• Stop the Taste-Testing Habit. This is actually a cause for concern. Though you may not notice it, but taste-testing could actually equate to a whole meal, and that is before mealtime.

• Make Fruit or Fruit Concoctions Your Dessert. Dessert is often the culprit for an unhealthy lifestyle. However, if you resort to fruits as main dessert ingredients, you need not worry.

• Keep Your Hands Moving. By engaging in activities other than that of the kitchen, you could actually forget about eating. This would keep your mind busy and far from edible consumables.

• Drink Plenty of H2O. Some mistake hunger for dehydration or thirst. Instead of hydrating yourself, you may look for food, which would be dietary suicide. Be sure to stick with your diet and know the difference between starvation and dehydration. To be sure, drink water. It can eliminate hunger as well.

• Make a Rule That Works. Set rules regarding eating. For example, no eating in front of the television, in the car, or at your desk. This would help you avoid mindless eating when you are not hungry.

Overeating has been a affecting the lives of millions. It causes obesity and various health problems, such as diabetes, and high blood pressure. Eat at a scheduled time and avoid taking snacks, especially unhealthy ones, in between. Be a wise and responsible eater and see your health, physique, and lifestyle improve dramatically. Here is to good health!