Michael Pollan in his book, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto said, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants". It seems pretty odd to say, Eat Food, but after reading labels more carefully it's easy to see that many things on our supermarket shelves would not have been recognized as food by earlier generations. "Not too much"... North Americans have among the highest food consumption rates in the world. "Mostly plants". The health benefits from diets high in plant based foods are well documented. The price of over consuming food can be measured in overall health and in our pocketbooks.
If we see ourselves in the population that is over consuming foods, how do we eat less?
1) Portion control. Use smaller plates and smaller servings spoons. We are more likely to overeat if our portions are large.
2) Eat slowly. Listen to our bodies. It takes a while for the brain to send the "I'm full" signal to our bodies. If you set your fork down for ten seconds between bites, this will help slow you down. Or use chop sticks if they slow you down.
3) Plan meals.
4) Prepare less food, or cook double batches and freeze excess right away.
5) Drink sufficient water throughout the day - you may find that what you interpret as hunger is really your body crying out for water. I found it difficult to start drinking more water in the morning but my health practioner directed me to drink two glassess of water first thing in the morning to start my day, and to keep well hydrated throughout the day and two glassess before bed. If it's difficult to drink, try a straw. Some folks find it much easier to take in more liquids that way. So in addition to improved health, proper hydration may ease your food bill. (As an aside, among other things the benefits of proper hydration can be noted in the brain. Apparently electrical impulses transfer far more readily in a well hydrated brain and your thinking is much clearer.)
6. Before a meal, drink water, eat a salad, or have a protein snack a few hours before eating.
7. Eat fibre rich foods. They stay with you longer and give a sense of fullness. Some examples of fibre rich foods are: apples with skin, apriocots, avocadoes, beet greens, carrots, cabbage, yams, black beans, kidney beans, lentils and more.
8. Brush your teeth and floss immediately after dinner. If you are not keen on flossing, you are less likely to eat after doing so.
9. Try to keep your blood sugar levels steady, not allowing them to drop too low that you binge on sugar or food. This means not allowing too much time to pass between meals and snacks. If you reseach the G.I. Diet, you will find a list of foods that don't spike your blood sugar levels.
10) Get more sleep. There is a co-relation between lack of sleep and overeating. The better sleep habits you have, the less likely you are to binge or reach for unhealthy snacks. And while your health is the most important victim to bad sleep patterns, it also impacts your pocketbook.
11) When dining out, there are a couple of things to help you not overeat. Sit far away from the buffet line. Ask your server to package half your entree up in a take-away carton BEFORE you start to eat it. Focus on your friends not the food. Share an entree or just order an appetizer for your meal.
12) Be aware of what you are putting into your mouth. If you feel hungry, ask yourself if you are really 'hungry' for something else. Identify your moods and other triggers to overeating. Are you feeling lonely and then experience a craving? Call a friend or engage in socially in some way to help ease your true hunger of loneliness.
13) If overeating has led you to excess weight gain, seek out others in the same situtation and support one another. The web has all sorts of chat rooms and groups that encourage one another.
14) Exercise. A brisk walk can sometimes eliminate hunger. And if you exercise first thing in the morning, you reve up your metabolism, curb hunger and have more energy for the day.
15) Never eat snacks straight out of the bag. Pour them into a bowl or plate so you know exactly how much you will be consuming.
16) Buy smaller packages or take larger packages and break them down into smaller ones before consuming.
17) Avoid high calorie drinks, but if you drink them, use a tall skinny glass. You feel like you've had more from this optical illusion.
18) Protein leaves you feeling full longer as it takes longer to digest.
19) Make meal times special. Dim the lights, play relaxing music, engage in conversation with your family. Try to set enough time aside to actually eat as a family. Not easy to do, I know, when it seems so many of kids extra-curricular activities are scheduled close or even during meal time.
20) Eat at your table, not in front of the TV or computer. It's is difficult not to eat mindlessly when your brain is occupied with other tasks besides eating.
21) Limit alcohol intake as it impedes your ability to control your eating (among other things!). If you do drink, it's better to have some food in your stomach.
22) If you wear fitted clothing, you are less likely to over indulge. Toss the draw string pants!
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