What Makes Us Overeat?

Most of us would like to think that we’re in charge of how much we eat. We trust our bodies to tell us when we’re full, and that after we’re done, we have a good sense of how much we’ve eaten.

If only it were true. “Research tells us that subtle cues in our environment can pressure us to dish up more than we need and eat more than we should, larger plates – even larger serving utensils – can prompt over-consumption.” In a self-serve ice cream experiment 1, people given large bowls and scoops doled out 57 percent more ice cream than those given smaller dishes and serving utensils.

So, how much we’re going to eat is generally decided before we even take that first mouthful. The reality is we pretty much eat whatever we’re served – whether it’s a little or a lot. From a supersized fast-food meal to a dainty portion in an upscale restaurant, we’re generally satisfied as long as we’ve polished off every morsel. Rather than letting our stomachs decide, we let an empty plate signal an end to the meal.

Controlling how much you put on your plate really becomes the first step in controlling how much you put in your stomach. But other cues can trigger overeating, too. Just smelling or seeing food – anything from the smell of fresh-baked bread to the sight of stale donuts in the company lunchroom – can trigger your desire to eat, even if you’re not hungry. Here are some ways to take charge:

• Think spoon, not shovel - It’s an old trick, but it really works - using smaller plates and tall, skinny glasses gives the illusion that there is more food on the dish and more to drink in the glass. Smaller serving utensils help keep you from loading up, too – think spoon, rather than shovel.
• Single-serving sizes - As serving containers get larger, so do portions. Those huge bargain-priced cereal boxes may be leaner on your wallet, but studies show you’ll pour yourself a lot more cereal– as much as 20 percent more – than you would from a regular-sized package. Go for the single-serving sizes.
• Out-of-reach sweets - Make it inconvenient to eat the unhealthy stuff. You may not make the effort to bake brownies from scratch when the mood strikes, but if you keep the microwavable version around you’ll have to constantly fight the urge. Get the candy dish off your desk and the cookie jar off the counter – set out a bowl of fruit instead.
• Mix it up, but not too much - Studies show that the more variety on your plate, the more you’ll eat – all that stimulation keeps your taste buds in high gear. An array of low-cal fruits and veggies is fine, but when faced with a buffet or a dinner served family-style, limit yourself to just a couple of items on your plate at one time.
• Shake it up - Try a protein shake for breakfast or lunch. Made from a set amount of milk, protein powder and fruit, it’s a natural when it comes to portion control. Add some ice cubes, and whip it up to increase the volume without adding calories – and enjoy from a tall glass.

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Eating Out

For those watching their weight, the joys of dining out are often tempered by the temptations of large portions and too many choices. And, without knowing exactly how foods are prepared, it's hard to know exactly what you're being served, or how many calories you're taking in.

Some people try to swear off restaurant dining while trying to drop a few pounds, but realistically, eating out is a fact of our busy lifestyle. With a little knowledge and planning, you can learn to make the best choices when you eat out and still stick with your diet.

Steering away from the drive-through is probably a good first step towards healthy dining out. Although some fast food restaurants do offer healthy alternatives, the usual fare is often much more enticing. Instead, choose a restaurant where you know you can get what you want, prepared how you want it.

When glancing at a menu, it helps to have a plan. Zeroing in on appetizers is a good strategy – the portions are small, and a couple of carefully chosen starters with a salad and a light soup makes a great meal. You can also keep portions reasonable by splitting an entrée with a companion (ask for an extra salad or veggie on the side).

Since we tend to eat whatever we are served – whether it's a little or a lot – ask to have half your meal set aside for carry out before it's served. That way, you'll eat half as much but you can still have the satisfaction of cleaning your plate.

Restaurants don't often skimp on fat – it adds a lot of flavor and texture to foods and it's an inexpensive ingredient. Fried foods are an obvious no-no, but added fats such as spreads, dressings, sauces and gravies should be limited, too. Salads and veggies are the healthiest foods around, but not if they're swimming in dressing or drenched in butter or rich sauces. Ask for these foods plain, with the toppings on the side so you can control how much you add. Read entrée descriptions carefully, and ask your server if you're not sure how something is prepared. "Crispy", "creamy" or "batter-dipped" foods are likely to be fatty and rich, while foods that are steamed, baked, broiled, roasted or grilled are usually safe. On the side, try skipping the starchy rice or potato and ask to swap it for an extra serving of vegetables.

Don't be fooled by the word "salad" – it's a term that is often used loosely to mean any combination of foods, but they're not all healthy. The addition of bacon, cheese, sour cream, fatty meats and mayonnaise-rich potato or pasta salads to a bed of greens can send calories skyrocketing. Ditto on those salads served in huge bread bowls or fried tortilla shells.

Think about how you usually eat when you're sticking to your plan, and try to find similar foods on the menu so you can enjoy your meal without guilt. If you're armed with a little menu savvy and a good strategy, dining out and dieting can go hand-in-hand.

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Eat Your Fruits & Veggies

Not getting the message

Over the last several years, the U.S. Department of Health has recommended eating at least five portions of fruits and vegetables a day. Yet, only one in seven achieve this quota. In fact, one-third of American adults eat only two servings of fruits and vegetables a day and are four times more likely to choose a processed snack instead. On any given day, about half the population eats no fruit at all.

A bushel of reasons

There is a rainbow of reasons to eat a variety of colors from the produce aisle. Fruits and vegetables are virtually fat free, low in salt and an excellent source of fiber. Some fruits and vegetables, such as carrots and cantaloupe, provide Vitamin A, which maintains eye health and immunity. Other fruits and vegetables, such as bananas and spinach, contain potassium, which is necessary for proper nerve and muscle functioning. Green vegetables, such as broccoli and asparagus, provide B Vitamins, which are necessary for converting food into energy. But all fruits and vegetables contain phytonutrients, the health-promoting components of plants. Scientific studies show that phytonutrients can help protect seven key organs, including the eyes, heart, liver and skin and they may also serve as antioxidants.

Antioxidant protection

Current research has measured the total antioxidant power of various foods, citing fruits and vegetables at the top of the list. Antioxidants protect our bodies from free radicals that can cause damage to cellular membranes. Antioxidants also boost our immunity, help make our muscles stronger and support bone and skin health. Since eating the recommended daily servings of antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables is not always realistic, try supplementing your diet with appropriate products. So try to get in the habit of eating plenty of produce each day. It's one of the biggest favors you can do for your body.

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Eating Right at Night

Eating a balanced diet means that you're taking in a variety of healthy foods at reasonable intervals throughout the day - it doesn't mean that you "balance" healthy foods eaten during the day with junk foods like pizza and ice cream at night.

But for many people, when the sun goes down, so does their willpower. While they can maintain their sensible eating habits during the day, evening often signals the start of an unending food fest until bedtime.

Strange as it may seem, one of the best solutions to controlling your appetite after dark is to eat more often during the daylight hours. Heavy evening snackers often lack a regular eating pattern – one that includes sensible meals combined with healthy and nutritious snacks.

Putting the Myth to Rest

You've probably been told that eating late at night is detrimental. But while your calorie needs are lowest during the night, there is no conclusive scientific evidence that the calories ingested at night are stored more efficiently than those eaten at other times.

Eating foods later in the day rather than earlier is not what leads to weight gain – what matters is your daily caloric intake as a whole. No matter when you eat, if you take in more than you need, your body stores any extra calories as fat. Curbing evening snacking habits leads to weight loss simply because fewer calories are being taken in over the course of the day.

Many people are too busy to plan meals – they may dash out the door in the morning with little more than a cup of coffee, and then try to power through the day without taking time to eat properly. It's no wonder that by the time they get home at night, they're literally out of gas.

Others are simply eating as an emotional escape from stress or to beat boredom. We tend to mindlessly reach for junk food during sedentary activities such as watching television or using the computer – and we then associate these high calorie foods with relaxation and keep the habit going.

Meal Planning and Suitable Snacks

Putting in the right fuel – and at the regular intervals during the day – is one of the best defenses against nighttime nibbling. Breakfast and lunch meals should provide plenty of protein to keep your mind sharp and hunger at bay as well as some healthy carbs like fruits, veggies and whole grains to maintain blood sugar. A protein shake with fruit is a great way to start the day – otherwise, try an egg white omelet with fruit, a dish of plain nonfat yogurt with fruit, or a quick bowl of oatmeal with some protein powder stirred in.

A protein shake also makes a quick and satisfying lunch, especially when you're too busy to stop and prepare a meal. Other good choices? Try a salad with some grilled chicken or fish, or a turkey sandwich on whole grain bread with some fruit for dessert.

When energy starts to slide in the afternoon, one tactic that works is to have a substantial snack – almost a "second lunch" – between lunch and dinner. A protein shake or bar, a half sandwich, some soy nuts, or a dish of cottage cheese and fruit are all appropriate choices.

By putting more nutritional emphasis on your daytime meals, it's likely you won't be nearly as hungry at night, so your dinner meal can be lighter and smaller.

The next time you feel like "midnight munching," think about the benefits of a healthy, protein-powered snack earlier in the day. The nutritional difference will be like night and day.

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What is your shape?

You may think you know when you look in the mirror, or you may be too busy trying to cover up unshapely areas to really see yourself as you are. Do you know how much fat you're carrying, compared to how much muscle? Do you know where you tend to gain weight–upper body, lower body or around the middle? Until you know the answers to these questions, you are not ready to make your personal plan for losing weight and keeping it off. Understanding your body is the first step to reaching your best personal shape. As someone who teaches both doctors and the public about obesity, I believe weight loss has been overemphasized and body shape underemphasized. You have probably read about the Body-Mass Index (BMI), which is a weight-to-height ratio. If your BMI is greater than 25, you are considered overweight in the United States, and if it is greater than 30 you are obese. This ratio has been a powerful way for scientists to document the obesity epidemic in this country and its effects on health and disease. However, when it comes to you as an individual, it can be misleading. A football player can be considered overweight on the BMI scale, but if the extra weight being carried is muscle, he is not really fat. A thin woman can have a normal BMI, yet still be over-fat. So shape counts.

Shapes are personal and go beyond the usual apple and pear. Women can have three typical body shapes–upper body fat, lower body fat and both upper and lower body fat. Men usually only get upper body fat. The upper body stores fat in times of stress and some people can lose and gain weight rapidly in the upper body. The lower body fat in women responds to female hormones such as estrogen and progesterone and stores fat for breastfeeding a newborn baby. Women who have both upper and lower body fat will lose their upper body fat first. Women with more upper body fat tend to have more muscle than women with lower body fat and will need more protein in their diet to help control their hunger. Losing weight is harder if you have lower body fat rather than upper body fat, but the medical benefits of losing your upper body fat are greater. Losing weight around your neck, face, chest and waist usually goes along with losing fat on the inside as well. So as you look better, you are also improving your health tremendously.

Finally, there are two more body shapes to consider: The shape you can change and the shape you can't change. It is important to know the difference and work on the shape you can change, while adjusting your wardrobe and attitudes to the shape you cannot change. Due to low metabolism, many women with lower body fat can't lose weight just by cutting calories. These lower body-fat cells are resistant to both exercise and diet. Only a personalized program can help make sure you get enough protein to control cravings and build or maintain lean muscle.

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Why Be Active

Fitness Tips 

Regular physical activity has many benefits. It is a potent stress buster, it can help keep weight off and it lowers your risk of developing major chronic diseases. Additional benefits include increased energy, stronger bones and muscles, improved sleep, improved body shape, a boost to mental wellbeing and a change in your outlook on life.

Renew your commitment to a healthy lifestyle. Think about increasing the types of activities that work for your lifestyle and that can easily be built into your day. Make it a point to read up on fitness news and information, such as this article about exercise. Put your fitness plan into action today!

Aerobic exercise is important for the cardiovascular system. It’s defined by repetitive motion such as running, swimming or cycling. It can also tone muscles. Incorporating a little of both aerobic and resistance training is best for your daily routine.

Set small, specific goals you can stick to (like losing 5 percent of body weight or exercising three times a week, etc.) Drink green tea (which helps promote weight loss). Snack on fresh fruits and vegetables during your day.

Resistance exercise is important for healthy muscles and bones. It also builds strength. It’s defined by activities with short bursts of energy, such as weight lifting, playing sports and even pushing a lawn mower. Ideally, you need both resistance exercise and aerobic exercise to keep your body operating at its peak.

Simple ways work for getting fit – you don’t need to join a gym. If you become more active in your everyday life – such as parking your car further and walking more, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or even walking to a co-worker’s desk instead of emailing them – you’ll get fit faster.

At least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity, at least five times each week, will keep you physically active. You can split each half hour into three 10-minute sessions. If 30 minutes are out of reach right now, start with what you can do and gradually build up.

Keep hydrated by consuming at least two liters of water each day. It is even more important to drink water before, during and after exercise. Even low-intensity exercise requires you to be well-hydrated.

Rest between workouts and allow your body time to recover.

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Maintain Good Nutrition

Proper, balanced nutrition provides the nutrients you need every day to fuel your daily activities, promote and maintain a lifetime of good health and make your best shape a reality. The right nutrition is balanced nutrition. Committing to these simple nutrition guidelines can put good health within reach.

"Start everyday with balanced nutrition and essential nutrients for a healthy, active lifestyle."

Healthy Breakfast

Start your day right! Breakfast is important because it kick-starts your metabolism and provides energy for you to use throughout your day.

Small Frequent Meals

Reduced meal portions, eaten frequently throughout the day, help you prevent energy slumps and unhealthy snack cravings.

Nutritious Snacks

Fruits, vegetables and small servings of Protein – such as nuts, yogurt or low-fat cheese during mid-morning and mid-afternoon – help you avoid overeating at lunch or dinner time.

Regular Hydration

Ensure a regular intake of fluids to stay properly hydrated.

Essential Nutrients

Your body needs nutrients to function properly or your health will suffer. Getting the right amount of nutrients is called Balanced Nutrition. The nutrients known to be essential for human beings are proteins, carbohydrates, fats and oils, minerals, vitamins and water.

Vitamins & Minerals

These are an important part of a balanced diet needed to support your body’s healthy functioning and metabolism.

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