Stop Mindless Eating

How many times has this happened to you? You sit down in front of the television with a bag of potato chips, planning to eat a few as you watch your favorite program. As the plot thickens, you find your hand drifting back to the potato chip bag again and again.

As the show reaches its climax, you look down for the bag of potato chips and are shocked to find it’s empty. A tremendous sense of guilt comes over you as you realize you’ve been a victim of mindless eating.

Mindless eating is the kind of unconscious eating that occurs when you don’t plan your meals and simply snack on whatever happens to be available. It also occurs when you eat while focusing on another task without controlling your portion size as with the potato chip example.

Mindless eating can add a considerable caloric load and, in some cases, you may not even be aware that you’ve overeaten. When you hear an overweight person say they hardly eat anything, there’s a good chance they’re a victim of mindless eating habits.

Is there a way to stop mindless eating and put some healthier eating habits into practice? Here are some ways to get mindless eating under control once and for all.

Stop engaging in other activities while you’re eating.

This is one of the quickest ways to take in excess calories. If you perform another task such as watching television, you take your focus away from the smell and taste of the food and you feel less satisfied causing you to eat more. Plus, when you’re distracted, you may not be aware of how much you’re eating.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition demonstrated the phenomenon of mindless eating in children. It showed that children who ate while watching television consumed more food than children who didn’t. When it’s time for a meal, focus on the sight, smells, and tastes of the food and eat slowly to break the cycle of mindless eating.

Schedule your meals and snacks.

If you leave your meals and snacks open ended, you may find yourself spending more time in the refrigerator than getting your work done. Mindless eating is a particular danger if you work at home or have ready access to food at work. Schedule three healthy meals and two snacks each day. Don’t allow yourself to eat except at those times. No midnight snacks!

Practice portion control.

To avoid mindless eating, never eat from an open bag, jar, or box. Instead, transfer a serving size to a plate or bowl and eat only what’s placed in the bowl. Even better, make your own hundred calorie snack packs for snacking. This can be done easily if you have a kitchen scale.

Learn to estimate how large a serving of a food item is and don’t allow yourself to have more than one serving of each item on your plate. No seconds or all-you-can-eat buffets except as a treat. Buffets can be a disaster if you’re trying to break the habit of mindless eating.

Slow down and use chopsticks.

Most Americans are guilty of eating their meals in minutes. No wonder so many people suffer from indigestion and obesity! Force yourself to sit down at a table and eat slowly, really tasting each mouthful. If you still find you’re eating too fast, use chopsticks. Most people can’t eat fast or practice mindless eating when they’re using chopsticks.

By following these habits, you’ll become more aware of the food you eat and will actually enjoy it more. Best of all, you’ll break the cycle of mindless eating and break through that weight loss barrier.

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