10 Reasons You Eat When You're Not Actually Hungry
And What You Can Do About It!
-- By Erin Whitehead, Health and Fitness Writer
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=1660
We've all done it, and sometimes we don't even realize when it's happening.
Maybe you graze when you're bored, or reach your hand into the office candy jar
each time you pass by. Perhaps when you're feeling sluggish in the afternoon,
you head to the vending machine for a pick-me-up. All of these are opportunities
to eat for reasons other than hunger. No matter why food calls your name, one
thing rings true: We have all eaten something when we weren't truly hungry.
While that's OK from time to time, too much eating without thinking can really
hurt your weight management goals. And depending on what you eat, hurt your
health, too.
Take a look at these 10 situations that encourage you to eat when you're
not hungry, plus tips to cope in a healthier way.
To Cope
Emotions are a common eating trigger. Happy? You might eat a treat to
celebrate. Sad? You might eat to soothe yourself with comfort food. Angry? You
might take it out with a fork instead of the person who really caused it. But if
you turn to food for emotional reasons, you won't resolve the underlying issues.
It may help to track your eating habits in a journal, noting your emotional
state when you headed for that snack. Writing it down may help you make a
connection you hadn't seen before, like the fact that you eat when you're lonely
or angry. Then you'll know for the future to look for a different outlet, such
as calling a friend when you're lonely or turning to that punching bag when
you're mad or stressed. If emotional eating is a known problem for you, check
out SparkPeople's 10-step guide to overcoming emotional eating.
Out of Boredom
Sometimes you're not emotional—you're just bored. For many people, eating
seems like a good solution when there's nothing better to do; whether you graze
at home on the weekends or entertain yourself with lavish dinners out. But
eating can only last for so long—and then you have an afternoon to fill! If you
know boredom is a trigger for your emotional eating, have a list of strategies
in place to keep yourself busy and entertained when you don't have anything else
to do. Catch up with an old friend, write an old-fashioned snail-mail letter,
write in your journal or blog, volunteer in your community, take up a new hobby
or read a book you've always wanted to read. Better yet, make your
boredom-buster an active endeavor, such as trying a new class at the gym,
playing an active video game, going for a walk with the dog or flying a kite.
Eating won't sound as appealing if you have a fun alternative to occupy your
mind and your body!
Because Other People Are Eating
When you're out enjoying a dinner with family or friends, it can be easy to
eat when you're past the point of fullness—especially if you're enamored in
conversation and not paying attention to your satiation level. Perhaps more
common, it's easy to indulge when others around you are eating, too. It makes
you feel like you fit in, and that it's OK since everyone else is doing it.
Research shows that our habits mimic our companions' actions in situations like
these. You don't have to swear off happy hour with friends to watch your weight
though. When your dining companions devour a second basket of bread or chips, or
order dessert, don't automatically follow suit. Check in with your hunger level
to see if you really need it or if you'll be more satisfied with the fun
conversation. If you have trouble stopping yourself from reaching for more, use
some of these dining out tactics to stay in control.
Because Food is There
Have a candy jar at the office that calls your name? Do you feel powerless
to pass up food at a party, even if you've already eaten? When food is in plain
sight, it can be so easy to grab a handful simply because it's there. It looks
good. You like it. It's right in front of you. What's the harm? Any food that is
nearby, visible and easily accessible is hard for anyone to turn down. If you're
unable to nix the trigger food altogether, move the treats out of sight—you'll
be less likely to grab a handful. So if you buy a bag of Oreos, put them on a
high shelf in a cabinet—not on the counter. Instead of a clear candy jar, try an
opaque one or move it to another location. (Alternatively, stock the candy jar
with a healthier, more filling treat—like nuts or trail mix.) When you're
already full and food is out at a party, stand with your back to the table or in
another room. The flipside of this works, too. When you keep lots of other
healthy foods in sight, like a bowl of fruit on the table, you're more likely to
eat them.
Because It's a Special Occasion
If you work in a big office or have a big family, it can seem like every
day is someone's birthday, anniversary, or shower. And if those celebrations
often involve cake or alcohol, it might seem that every party is a calorie-laden
minefield. If you don't want to have a piece of cake every day, don't
automatically get in the cake line when it's your bosses' birthday—you can
always show your face at the celebration without taking part in the punch bowl.
Remember: Celebrations are about the people, not the food. If you do best
without temptation, skip the gathering altogether or bring your own low-cal
treat. Here's another tactic: New research shows that just imagining yourself
eating a treat can decrease your desire to eat the real thing. Passing up cake
or celebratory food on occasion just got easier!
Because You're Tired
The dreaded afternoon energy lull can drive even the most disciplined of us
to food—especially sugary treats. But that sugar rush might be followed by an
even worse crash. Instead, take a walk around the office, head outside for some
rejuvenating natural light, or drink a cup of coffee or a tall glass of cold
water. A change of scenery might be just the ticket to battle the afternoon
lull.
Because the Clock Says So
Do you pull out your lunchbox when the clock strikes noon, just because
it's time for lunch? Or head to the kitchen at 6 p.m. just because that's your
typical dinnertime? Don't just eat when the clock tells you to! When mealtime
hits, use it as a cue to check in with your current hunger level. Are you
actually hungry? If so, whip up that healthy meal. If not, wait until your body
tells you to eat, and ignore the clock.
Because It's Free (Or Cheap)
Everyone loves to get a good deal. But don't eat up just because something
is free (think free samples at the grocery store) or super cheap
(buy-one-get-one-free sodas or all-you-can-eat buffets). Always check in with
your body's hunger level before you automatically fill your plate with a
freebie.
Because You Can't Say No to Food Pushers
If you're a people pleaser, it can be hard to say no, especially when
friends or family offer you scrumptious food. And sometimes people who push food
don't take no for an answer. Have excuses lined up in your bag of tricks—and be
honest. "I'm not hungry" works well, as does "I'm trying to lose weight." If you
end up with a piece of cake (or a whole cake to take home!) despite your
protests, remember that you're in control (it's rare that people will try to
force feed you). You can always set the fork down or share the cake with
neighbors or co-workers, or simply eat just a small portion.
Because You Suffer from Clean Plate Syndrome
Most of us have grew up hearing, "There are starving kids who would love to
eat that" to get us to clean our plates as kids. And for many of us, the
well-meaning notion to prevent kids from wasting food and encourage them to eat
their broccoli has stayed with us into adulthood. Do you still feel obligated to
clean your plate, even when you're not hungry enough to comfortably finish it
all—especially at a restaurant where you're paying a premium for a meal?
Fortunately, most of us live with modern amenities like refrigerators and
microwaves that make stowing away almost any meal for another time easy. (See,
no waste necessary!) To prevent overeating, take stock throughout your meal to
gauge how hungry you are; you might find that you don't need those last few
bites after all. If that doesn't work, use smaller plates at home to eat less!
And lastly, get over your fear of leftovers. I've met countless people who say
they simply don't eat them. Why not? Many foods taste better the next day or
two, and most things can be refrigerated and eaten without sacrificing flavor or
texture.
If you eat for reasons other than being hungry, check in with yourself.
Knowing what true hunger feels like can help you recognize when you're eating
for other reasons. If you can't avoid the specific triggers that cause you to
eat when you're not hungry—and there's no way to avoid them all—knowing these
strategies will help!
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