Recognize When
to Stop Eating
The first and most basic step in controlling your food intake is to recognize when to stop eating. This may prove harder than it seems, as people eat for many reasons beyond physical hunger. However, experts agree there are a series of steps you can follow to make the process easier and more effective without feeling deprived.
Instructions
1. Understand the difference between emotional hunger and physical hunger. Emotional hunger is hard to satisfy, and it usually comes along with feelings of sadness or anxiety. During particularly stressful times, you should pay more attention to the signs that your body sends you to tell you it's time to stop eating.
2. Appreciate the subtlety of your body's signals. Feeling stuffed is a very obvious, noticeable sensation, but simply feeling satisfied is rather subtle. People who are "in tune" with their bodies recognize the muted feelings (like the aches that precede a cold) that develop into more obvious feelings (like a terrible head cold).
3. Stop before you are full. Once you feel comfortable and filled, put the fork down and move away. By the time you get the feeling of fullness, your stomach is already stretched and holding more than it should.
4. Eat slowly. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to receive the message that your stomach is full. The slower you eat, the sooner you will recognize the message to stop eating before overdoing it. If you eat too quickly, you run the risk of eating too much and stopping too late.
5. Wait at least 10 minutes before going for seconds. This will give your body time to process how full you are and allow your brain to emit the "full" signal. Chances are good that you won't be tempted to have a second portion after the wait, thus saving you calories.
6. Drink water with your meals. This will help you conquer thirst and avoid mistaking it for real hunger. Drinking a glass of cold water before the meal is also a good idea, as it reduces cravings and helps you eat more slowly and savor your food more.
7. Ask yourself a series of questions as you are eating. Rather than thinking about something else, focus on the meal and how it makes you feel. You don't have to do this every time you eat, but it's a good exercise to help you learn the reasons behind your food choices.
Tags: your body, your food, feelings like, physical hunger, Recognize When