Do you ever wonder why you keep eating all the time? One survey conducted in 2013 showed that a large percentage of Americans find themselves overeating because they are stressed out, half of whom admit that they tend to overeat at least once a week.
The problem with this kind of eating behavior is that it is not helping us maintain the right weight. Aside from stress, are there other factors that can contribute to our excessive eating? There are several reasons which can trigger this kind of behavior such as:
Distraction
Most of us tend to eat in front of the TV because we want to catch up on the latest shows, but the problem with entertaining ourselves as we eat is that we don’t really focus much on what we are eating that we don’t realize that we are already full. The best way to fix this is to remove distraction as much as possible. Instead of eating in front of the TV, stay in the dining area instead.
Waiting too long before next meal
Some of us tend to wait for hours before our next meal that we become too hungry in between. We can attribute this to our need to finish a deadline, or other tasks, but the problem is that we tend to overeat once we are eating. This can lead to upset stomach or sluggishness because we have eaten more than we should. In order to avoid this, you should prepare some healthy snacks to munch on before your next meal. This way, you will be able to stop yourself from eating more than is necessary.
Eating out
Another reason why you tend to eat too much is because you are constantly eating out. The large portions that are served in restaurants can also affect the amount you eat, hence more calories in your system. If you want to be able to stick to your diet, it is best that you confine your eating at home because you will have better control over the food that you are eating and its portion too.
Emotions
Emotional eating is a common culprit as to why we eat too much. If we are sad, we often turn to food to comfort us. Most of us choose sweets to bring us a moment of happiness but then, when the happiness wears off, we find ourselves reaching for more sweets until it becomes a vicious cycle. Some even binge on salty foods and even fast-food as well, but no matter what we eat, if we take a lot of food for the entire day, we are actually adding more calories to our frame. One way to correct this habit of ours is to keep our emotions in check as much as possible. It would be a good idea to practice awareness so you will know if you are picking up food because you are angry, sad, or depressed. Once you become aware of it, it will be easier for you to control your eating.
Empty calories
Most of us tend to snack or eat the wrong types of food such as salty and sweet foods that do not contain any nutrients. No matter how much you eat, they don’t really fill your belly up. Instead of eating processed foods and sweets, a better option would be to choose healthier options like whole foods. Fruits, nuts, vegetables, seeds, and the like are just a few examples that you should opt for rather than the ones without any useful calorie content. For sure, you’ll feel better knowing that you are eating correctly and healthily too.
