Obsessed with food? Always on a diet? Prone to late-night binges? Try these strategies to tune into your hunger and get your appetite back on track!
Tip #1
Start a food diary, noting down everything you eat in a day and how you were feeling. This helps to establish the link between your emotional state, what you eat as a result, and the time of day it occurs.
Tip #2
Never let yourself get too hungry. When you’re ravenous, you’ll overcompensate and eat too much.
Tip #3
If you have overeaten, it’s not the end of the world. Instead of beating yourself up, just get back on track with your sensible new eating habits when you sit down at your next meal.
Tip #4
Remind yourself there are food rules you have to follow. Always ask yourself, “What do I feel like eating?”
Tip #5
Base your main meals around lean protein, wholegrain carbohydrates and a wide range of colourful, antioxidant-rich fruit and vegetables.
Tip #6
Always keep a nutritious snack, such as a nut or protein bar, in your bag so you can refuel if you need to when out and about.
Tip #7
Avoid keeping snacks, treats or ‘sometimes’ foods you know you find hard to resist stocked in large quantities in your pantry at home.
Tip #8
If you find your eating is controlling your life, seek the advice of an accredited practising dietitian.
For more advice and news on overeating, we recommend: Science update: Why overeating makes you sleepy? and Overeating? How’s your sleep?
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