Yesterday, I wrote about how friends can impact how much you do (or don’t) eat. But obviously, dining partners aren’t the only thing that can trigger a pig-out; as any person who’s survived on four hours of sleep or had to deal with a ridiculous amount of stress can attest, there are many, many factors that go into how much food you pile on your plate.
Which is why I found this article from Health magazine so interesting. Not only does it pinpoint three of the main culprits that lead to overeating, it actually gives good, concrete suggestions on how to end portion distortion (i.e., not just the obvious “sleep more, stress less”–as if it was that easy!).
My favorite tip? Learn to trump one want with another. The author points out that we’re biologically wired to desire fatty, sugary foods–but that doesn’t mean that we’re powerless in the face of cupcakes and French fries. When faced with foods that tend to send you into binge mode, expert David A. Kessler, MD, former commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and author of The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite, advises not telling yourself, “No, you can’t have that”. Instead, he says that you should acknowledge your craving, but think about something you want even more: better health so you can be there for your kids, or feeling less winded when you walk to work. I tried it this morning when faced with a very tempting platter of pastries, and guess what? It worked.
-Camille
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Camille