Tricks to Avoid Overeating

Other than the many products with a high-calorie content that we come across everyday – and hardly ever resist – another danger that lurks us as far as our body weight is concerned is overeating. However, this time we’re not talking about something that we’re doing on purpose (the eat ‘till you drop type of thing), but about overeating unawares, as a new piece in Shape magazine points out. Below are some ways to prevent this from happening.

Overeating is one of the main factors responsible for the rising number of obese or overweight people. Most of the times, we’re not even aware we’re doing it, since our body has become accustomed to larger and larger intakes of food. This is why sharing dinner with a friend or a partner would come extremely in handy, health experts tell the aforementioned publication.

“A single restaurant dish can contain as many as four servings.” Sarah Krieger, R.D., a St. Petersburg, Florida, spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, explains. With all that, most of us clean our plates in almost no time, which means that we’re eating larger portions than we should. In order to avoid this, it’s best if we ordered just one single dish that we then shared with someone else. If we’re alone, the same experts explain, then we should skip the main course and just order two or three appetizers instead.

The same goes for drinks, as here too sizes can differ. So, before ordering a soda or cola, we should ask to see the containers to make a comparison. “A recent study published in the Journal of Consumer Research shows that many fast-food chains have inflated their ‘small’ drinks from 12 to 16 ounces; as a result, diners take in about 45 more calories. When you place your next order, ask to see the cup sizes before making a choice.” Shape magazine recommends.

One last trick to avoid overeating is, according to the aforementioned publication, to single out trigger foods. For instance, if you’re a snack person who could easily down half a box of chocolates in one sitting, buy individual-serving packs, or divide a larger pack into smaller portions yourself. This should prevent you from overindulging in your favorite snack, while also allowing you to enjoy it every once in a while.