Day 16: Stop Overeating Part 1 | 30-Day Weight Loss-athon
Today we hit Day 16 and start the second half of the 30-Day Weight Loss-athon.
All tasks in the 30-Day Weight Loss-athon are adapted from the 52 Weight Loss Missions program.
Read the steps first, then take 10 minutes to think about them and take action. Ready?
What You Need:
- 52 Weight Loss Missions sample
- Pen
- Post-its.
Step 1
For most of us with extra weight, overeating plays a role. For some of us, it’s the star of the show.
So I’m going to help you to stop overeating – but without willpower, self-recrimination, obsessiveness, or a Silence of The Lambs mask.
Instead, today we’ll look at ways to reduce your portion sizes so you don’t mindlessly eat more than you need. Tomorrow we’ll deal with some of the causes of automatic eating, and consider ways to break free.
(Remember the 52 Weight Loss Missions sample you downloaded? Today’s and tomorrow’s tasks are drawn from Mission 14: Stop Overeating.)
As our first step, if you need convincing that eating mindlessly leads you to eat more, flip through Brian Wansink’s Mindless Eating. You’ll read dozens of experiments showing how switching your mind off turns your tendency to overeat on.
But I suspect most of us are already convinced.
Step 2
So we need to find ways to:
- Be more mindful when we eat
- Make it harder to overeat when we aren’t being mindful.
Here are some of the strategies that have worked for me:
- Put food on a plate rather than eating out of a container – so you can see how much you’re eating
- Use table linen, a napkin, perhaps a candle – it will make you want to enjoy and savor your meal
- Use a smaller bowl or plate – it will feel like a larger serving
- Use smaller utensils – eg a small spoon instead of a large one
- Eat as a family or with others – stopping to talk can slow down your eating and give your brain time to register when you’re no longer hungry
- After serving yourself, put leftovers away immediately – if you’re really still hungry you can get the food back out; if not, there’s a barrier to make you stop and think
- Enjoy your food – savor the taste and texture
- Eat slowly – chew your food thoroughly so you extract the nutrients and give your brain time to register when you’ve had enough.
- Make peace with leaving food on your plate – you can dispose of it in the bin or on your hips; which would you prefer?
- Eat regularly – every 3-4 hours – so you’re never ravenous and out of control (which we address in Mission 49: Recognize Start And Stop Hunger Signals).
The following ideas might also help – though I confess they haven’t worked for me.
- If you eat alone, avoid distractions like TV, the web, or reading (this one is hard and I can’t do it; if you can, great)
- Hold your eating utensil in your non-dominant hand so you’re reminded to slow down
- Eat the healthier, lower-calorie foods on your plate first – if you feel full before you’re done, you’ll have gained the best nutrition bang for your calorie buck
- Only eat in one or two places, ideally just in the dining room – not your bedroom, the bathtub or at your desk.
Choose the strategies you’re going to try.
Bonus Step For 52 Weight Loss Missions Members
Revisit Mission 49: Recognize Start And Stop Hunger Signals for strategies to help you manage hunger signals and avoid binging.
Step 3
For each strategy you’ve chosen, complete whatever action you need to take.
For example:
- Dig out your pretty tableware, table linen, candlesticks, etc
- Write post-it reminders to put away leftovers, eat slowly, only eat in certain rooms, etc
- Set alarms on your phone to remind you to eat more regularly.
Mindless eating is a trap we all fall into at times. But with these strategies, it doesn’t have to be a habit.
Which of these strategies will you use?
Check in!
And you’re done!
Be sure to leave your comment below to check in and stay accountable. If you’re reading this by email or in a reader then please click here to leave your comment.
See you tomorrow!
I have some new serving spoons from Weight Watchers that I am now using. I figured out that I was using 2 cups of food instead of 1. I have cut back to 1 1/2 cups and heading towards 1 cup!
Amazingly I already knew most of this trick which I practise, eat at the family table (not in front of tv) use smaller plates, smaller forks, etc. I think that I will start having my own food diary to become more conscious of what and when I eat.
I did read these earlier in the week and have been following, today is just my first chance to “check-in”. I have bought a really pretty vinyl/flannel backed tablecloth because it was more practical with the kids, I have a center piece for the table and have been making a concerted effort to eat there for meals. I have also started to plan my meals, my biggest downfall to overeating has always been not planning and then eating everything in site for hours because I’m starving. So far So good.
I love the idea of setting the table, eating mindfully, no TV.And eat veg first! All these tips are so easy, yet we don’t do them.Back to wholesome, eating and taking real care of ourselves….
love the idea of setting the table, eating mindfully, no TV.And eat veg first! All these tips are so easy, yet we don’t do them.Back to wholesome, eating and taking real care of ourselves….
I am certainly going to try these suggestions.
Eat more regularly. Post-it notes~Love those things! Eating only at the table and off a plate or bowl.
My problem isn’t over eating at meals, but all the grazing in between meals. That is what I need to cut out.
we switched from the dinner plates to using the salad plates instead, it does help keep the portions down.
Working on eating mindfully. I am also tracking what I eat again so I can’t fool myself.
I have already started eating on a smaller plate but I think I may start putting the leftovers away right away too!
We are going to commit to eating at the dining room table. I’m also dusting off my good scale to better track portion size and calories.
I overeat if I have not planned my meals and have found success if I plan and buy ingredients for the following 3 days only. you will be amazed how much cheaper it is and you can often eat for up to five days with your ingredients.
I’m going to put everything on a plate so I can see exactly what & how much I’m eating and I’m going to start eating with my left hand- it’ll force me to slow down. I have a real tendency to eat too fast.
I overeat. I wish I didn’t. This is something I really struggle with. I like these suggestions as well, and seriously need to put these to use. I don’t want to overeat anymore. Our stomachs weren’t designed for that. That’s what I believe.
I already use smaller dishes, put food away when a meal is over, and eat frequently. The ones I’ll try to add is eating more slowly and savoring my food – really tasting it instead of just consuming it!
Although I haven’t checked in each day, the reminders have all been read and I have found them encouraging. I’ve seen a loss of over 4 pounds! NB eating in the bathroomm! ok that’s one I don’t have a problem with lol.
I overeat mostly when we eat out, and we eat out a lot. I have much more control when I eat at home. Its also harder to find healthy foods when we eat out. I will work on eating at home more where I have more control, smaller plates, and smaller utensils. Great suggestions. Thank you.
Now that I measure everything out and keep track of what I eat on My Fitness Pal app I find I don’t overeat anymore. Seeing how many calories are on my plate and how many I have for the day is a huge deterrent for me. Bite it, write it.
that’s part of my problem, I don’t eat much junk food at all or much fried food as I get sick after it, but I tend to eat too much of the good stuff, drinking water before meals as well as having something to do with my hands, Crochet, cross stitch etc ( god I sound like a granny) is making me eat less, and not having temptations really helps.