You are an emotional eater. You wear your feelings on your sleeve. Sometimes instead of dealing with the actual problem you may eat as a distraction. Ask yourself, has something been going on in my life that I just want to avoid at all cost? Let’s face it, food can be satisfying and yummy. I’m sure you heard that not all good things are good for you. Next time you find yourself indulging in a triple chocolate slice of cake ask yourself am I really eating this as dessert cause it’s good or is it to mask something I’m not ready to deal with.
You are flat out bored. Boredom has struck again! Sound Familiar, if you find yourself eating for no apparent reason other than food being in your mere presence think again. If you knowingly have food that you enjoy in your possession you are more likely to eat it out of boredom. Next time you find yourself grazing the fridge for something just because…. ask yourself what you can do instead of eating that could be equally satisfying .
Is your plate too Big? Everything is Bigger in Texas they say! Which is fine but It just shouldn’t go on a plate. In a world where everyone says “Go Big or Go Home” it’s hard not to go for seconds or to reach for the biggest plate in the cabinet. Maybe you live in a house where your spouse is a total fashionista, and enjoys having Double size Décor. Sure it looks good and probably looks even better with food on it. A standard plate sizes from 7 to 9 inches. However, today we can see plate sizes range from 11 to 12 inches or even larger. Some restaurants even have plates 13 inches in diameter or more.
Be my guest, my dinner guest that is! Did I fail to mention that you may just be a dinner guest. It would be simply rude not to indulge in the scrumptious dish your hostess prepared. You may never get invited again if you taste buds don’t align with their food selections. The Good news is you probably won’t get blacklisted if you speak up before the big day. Trust me it’s much easier to say I’d love to come but I’m trying to cut back on the calories. Simply ask before its time to serve food how much of a portion that you are actually expecting.
Eating too quickly. Slow down you vulture you..! I promise the food is not going to get up and run away unless you’re trying out some interesting aprodiastics in a foreign country… then it just may (wink). There’s a short delay in between when you begin eating and when your brain actually knows that it’s getting some good food. It can take up to 20 mins before your brain begins to know your stomach is full. I know I know we are always on the go especially if you live here in Los Angeles. Like who even has time to sit down and actually eat. Unless you’re enjoying the nightlife at one of the most elegant fine dining restaurants that force you to eat like a normal human being.
Another thing that I like to do is drink a glass of water before having any meal that I have. I’ve heard that many models do this to ensure they don’t over eat. It really works and you feel fuller much faster.
Lastly, your friends could be the culprit. If you have a group of friends who like the social scene and happy hour then I’ll take a moment of silence for you and say a quick prayer! Happy Hour can be fun, and so can those good old friends who you feel obligated to join on a late night after 8:00pm for happy hour. Eating late is another habit that you don’t want to adopt. Just think Taco Tuesdays once a week with endless margaritas and fresh corn or flour tortillas. Yikes, that can add up! And that’s just Tuesday. What about TGIF on a Friday or perhaps Karaoke and drinks on Thursday night. My point is they all add up. Get comfortable with telling your gal pals “No” for a change.
If your friends are real ones they will be sure to tell you that you’re gaining weight or they might not say anything at all until you’ve already added 30 lbs pounds to your fabulous frame. Opt out and say let’s find a trail or make it a gym date instead. You might be known as the boring one for a while but at least you won’t be completely out of breath if you’re getting chased by a vicious poodle. Okay, that was a bad comparison but you get my drift. Try out some tools to help you with portion control here.
Another thing I try so desperate to do is drink a gallon of water daily. This cute jug inspires me to do just that.
