Hungry? Really?
Many feelings can be mistaken for hunger, this can lead to comfort eating. It is important to establish whether you are eating for reasons other than actual hunger.
Are you...
- Stressed?
- Bored?
- Anxious?
- Upset?
- Thirsty?
- Tired?
- Worried?
If the answer to any of these is yes, then try to distract yourself, rather than reaching for food.
- Take a bath, go for a walk, listen to some music or read a book
- Connect with your body, do some yoga, stretch, dance, laugh, take a deep breath
When you are eating...
- Sit at a table, use a smaller plate
- Chew slowly
- Use cutlery or chopsticks if it will slow down the speed you can eat at
- Although it sounds obvious... taste the food, savour every mouthful!
- Try not to eat while driving, watching TV or when you're at the cinema. A distraction can cause you to eat more and you may not feel as full as you would otherwise.
- Remember, when you're full... stop eating
- Clean your teeth or chew some sugarfree gum after a meal, this may help prevent you going back for more!