By Jennifer R. Scott, About.com; Updated: April 10, 2008
These tips will help you feel fuller longer and curb cravings. Give them a try, and you could prevent overeating before you have even had the chance to say, "I couldn't eat another bite"!
- Don't skimp during the day to "save" calories for later on in the evening. No matter how "in
control" you feel during the day, you're likely to become overly hungry by evening, which is a sure-fire way to give in to overeating. And above all, don't skip any meals to reserve calories for another; it almost always backfires.
- Eat breakfast every morning. Doing so keeps your blood sugar stable -- which helps keep cravings at bay -- and energy levels high (we tend to eat more when feeling sluggish). In fact, studies have shown that people who eat breakfast tend to be at a healthier weight than those of us who skip it.
- Drinking plenty of water throughout the day as well as eating water-rich fruits such as melon or oranges will help you feel sated throughout the day. Additionally, thirst is easily confused with hunger so staying well-hydrated may prevent you from eating when you're not actually feeling true hunger.
- Get enough sleep. Without even realizing it, we tend to eat more when we're tired; it's a way to "perk" ourselves up. While eating something high in carbs will give you a burst of energy, it will soon fade away. Feeling well-rested may help keep that "afternoon slump" at bay (and you away from the vending machine).
- Eat on a regular schedule. Eating regularly will keep you from getting too hungry to stay in control of what -- and how much -- you eat. You should never go longer than five hours without eating; ideally, you should have something every three hours or so. This can be accomplished by incorporating healthful snacks into your day or by eating several mini-meals instead of three large ones.
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