R I C H A R D B A T T I S T A H E A L T H Y L I V I N G . C O M

3   W A Y S   T O   P R E V E N TE M O T I O N A LO V E R E A T I N G

Whether you happen to overeat after a

stressful day at work or to simply reward

yourself, it is common for individuals to

overeat to fulfill their junk foods cravings, get

something off their minds, or simply are

bored. Regardless of the reason, overeating in

general is a really unhealthy happen that

tends to exponentially increase obesity for

Americans across the country.

“Emotional overeating

happens when we eat to

cope with stress, either in

the absence of hunger or

passed the point of being

satiated,” said Dr. Heather

Meggers-Wright, licensed

psychologist of Behavioral

Health Clinic of Wausau.

Dr. Heather Meggers-Wright also provides

professional insight in relation to the types of

food we crave as we overeat. With stress, we

often crave foods high in calories that take our

minds off whatever is stressing us out or

negatively affecting our mental or emotional

health.

In addition to simply gaining weight, overeating

can also lead to some psychological effects

related to decreased self-esteem and feeling sad

or upset the unhealthy food consumed. To avoid

extreme cases such as bulimia or consist

overeating, try to follow the below steps to

prevent any negative health effects from this

habit.

Find a healthy replacement if you generally

consume high calorie food when you are stressed

or have anxiety. Instead of going to the chocolate

cake first, try eating your favorite fruit or low-

calorie dessert to supplement you craving. You

know yourself better than anyone so making the

best food choices is really up to you and you only.

KNOW YOURSELF

Your body takes about three hours to digest a

meal. Eating small snacks throughout the day

instead of large meals will help suppress hunger on

a regular basis. A ready supply of carrots, apples,

or nuts will both give you sufficient energy without

causing drowsiness that heavy or high calorie

foods tend to have.

SMALL   SNACKS  

On a macro-level, social events such as Thanksgiving

or weddings are often seen as special occasions

geared towards overeating in the name of celebration.

As you attend these gatherings, exercise self-control

to prevent overeating that would deter the healthy

habits in your day to day.

CULTURAL  NORMS  

If you have a tendency to overindulge at these times, one

tip is to eat healthier foods before going to said event in

order to prevent any kind of overeating. Also,

incorporating lean or vegetarian proteins to curb your

appetite is also very useful when faced with the urge to

overeat. Some healthy foods high in protein include eggs,

beans and poultry.