Tips for the Calorie Conscious Baby Boomer

Eating Too Much?

Is overeating an issue for you?  Here are some tips that might help:

1.  Take smaller bites and chew your food more slowly. Take at least 20 minutes to consume a meal because that’s how long it takes for your body to give you the “I’ve had enough” message.  Taking longer to eat will make you feel as though you are actually eating more. 

 
2.  Sit down to eat.  If you stand or eat on the run, you are more likely to eat more food. Making it a point to sit down while eating will help you think about how much you are consuming.

 
3.  Change to smaller plates. You will feel as if you are eating more than if you put a small amount of food on a large plate.

 
4.  Drink a 12-ounce glass of water before eating.  It will take up room in your stomach and make you feel less hungry. Sometimes you are really thirsty rather than hungry. If the sensation of hunger comes on in an instant, it usually means you are thirsty.  Feelings of hunger generally come on more slowly.

 
5.  Wait 10 minutes before having a snack.  It will often make you realize you weren’t hungry at all.  Between meal snacks are often impulsive acts. 

 
6.  Keep the “right stuff” where you can see it.  Make foods such as fruits and vegetables readily available by keeping them in the front of the refrigerator.

 
7.  Avoid eating distractions.  If you find you are constantly eating too much food, then you may want to consider reducing distractions during your meal. A French study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (August 2001) reported that women who ate lunch while listening to a detective story consumed significantly more calories than when eating without distractions, even though their hunger level was the same. So the next time you sit down for lunch or dinner, turn off the phone, the television and any other distraction.