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10 Ways to Prevent Overeating Because We All Hate That Bloated Feeling After Meals

2016-07-22 , 1:15 pm

Are you one who feels the urge to grab something to munch on right after lunch? And another hour later, you find yourself eating yet another meal.

Before you know it, you’re feeling bloated and you regret eating way too much. Overeating is not only unhealthy but it affects your body’s digestion process, so here are 10 ways to prevent yourself from overeating.

1. Use the hunger scale

Before you head off to grab a McSpicy meal (upsized), think: are you really hungry or is your mouth just itchy? Most of the time, we tend to overeat because we assume we’re hungry when we are actually not. We just want something to munch on, which often leads to overeating. So remember to think before eating the next time you find yourself wanting to reach for that slice of pizza.

2. Chew slowly

I for one am guilty of chowing down my food as though I’m on a food marathon. That, my dear friends, is a recipe for disaster by itself. By chowing down your food, your body will not be able to break down your food in time, allowing it to assume that you are still hungry. This is the reason why many people who chow down their food tend to get bloated easily. By chewing your food for a longer period of time, you’ll be able to tell when your body is feeling full, preventing you from overeating.

3. Eat small meals every few hours

Instead of eating 3 huge meals, eat 6 small ones instead. It not only prevents you from overeating, sources suggest that it can even help you to slim down!

4. Drink water before and after a meal

When you drink water, it fills up a certain level of your hunger, allowing you to eat lesser. Drinking a glass of water 30 minutes before a meal also helps with your body’s digestion process, while drinking after helps the body to absorb the nutrients.

5. Eat breakfast every morning

Yes, you’ve heard the drill a million times. Do not skip breakfast. And we are here to remind you of this very important fact. A study published in British Journal of Nutrition has shown that found that when people ate more fat, protein, and carbohydrates in the morning, they tend to stay satisfied throughout the day as compared to those who skip breakfast and eat a hearty lunch later on.

6. Eat food filled with fibre

Workaholics listen up! We all know that when you’re working, there are times where skipping lunch is inevitable. Especially if it’s regarding an important client or even rushing to complete your work. Well, it’s time to pack high- fibre food as it helps you to get fuller much faster. Reason being your body will take a longer time to process the food, allowing you to stay satisfied long after eating your meal.

7. Walk before eating

That’s an odd one we know, but we have our reasons. By taking a short ten to thirty minutes walk before eating can induce certain endorphins to feel happier which eventually helps to prevent overeating. Let’s face it, we’ve all gone through the stage of stress eating. Secondly, most people find themselves less hungry after a workout so hey, it’s worth a try!

8. Look at Insta-worthy food photos

You got us right. A recent study done has shown that people who looked at food photos before eating are less likely to crave on those treats later in the day, which means they won’t be working and munching on snacks as often.

9. Out of sight, out of mind.

Just like how not seeing your crush for a period of time will cause your feelings for him/her to slowly dissipate, it works the same for food as well. Clear out all the potential snacks that you know you won’t be able to resist, and replace them with healthier options. And since it is not there, you are less likely to eat them because the effort of getting them is just not worth it.

10. Eat hot stuff

Of course, there are loads of research that have shown that eating spicy food items will cause you to get fuller faster. Capsaicin, an active component in chilli peppers, is proven to help curb your appetite. And well, we assume you’d be too busy trying to gulp down loads of ice water too, which explains why you’d be fuller faster.

Top Image: PhuShutter / Shutterstock.com

This article was first published on goodyfeed.com