Mikhail Gavrilov
psychotherapist, Ph.D., nutritionist, member of the Institute of Functional Medicine (IFM, USA), expert of the PreventAge Lifestyle School course
The fact that people started talking about food addiction not so long ago is by no means an accident. Firstly, life in big cities is very conducive to its formation. For example, in megacities there are a lot of people who get hooked on fast food, because on the way home from work it’s so convenient to buy a hamburger or any other ready-made dish that you can either eat right away or quickly heat up in the microwave at home. Secondly, food has long ceased to be only a source of energy. Often this is one of the ways to get pleasure. Delicious food replaces communication, compensates for the lack of love, dispels boredom, etc.
It’s very easy to get hooked on any food, but getting rid of food addiction is a long journey, requiring the help of specialists (psychotherapists, nutritionists, functional medicine doctors).
Do not be distructed
Are you used to having lunch at work “on the run”, without interrupting the work process, and having dinner in front of the TV or reading a book? By being distracted by other stimuli, you are more likely to eat more than you need and “forget” to think that these candies are already unnecessary. It's time to get rid of this habit - it's best to eat in silence.
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Stop dieting
Not only are fad diets often very unhealthy, but on top of that, research shows that these overly restrictive eating methods can also cause binge eating episodes.
For example, one study of 496 teenage girls found that fasting was associated with a higher risk of overeating (1).
Likewise, another study of 103 women found that abstaining from certain foods led to increased food cravings and a higher risk of overeating (2).
Instead of following diets that focus on eliminating entire food groups or significantly reducing your calorie intake to lose weight quickly, focus on making healthy changes to your diet.
Eat more whole, unprocessed foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. When it comes to treats, instead of cutting them out of your diet completely, they should be consumed in moderation. This will prevent overeating and improve your health.
Summary:
Research suggests that fasting or eliminating certain foods from your diet may be associated with increased food cravings and overeating. Focus on eating healthy foods rather than dieting or eliminating certain foods.
Small plates and cutlery
The brain is quite easy to trick if you use small plates and cutlery. A small plate full of food is perceived as a portion sufficient to satiate, in contrast to a large plate that is only half filled. In addition, there is a great temptation to fill a large plate, while you physically cannot fit as much food on a small one. Scientists from Cornell and Groningen universities found that people usually fill their dishes 70%, regardless of their size.
Similarly with cutlery - the brain erases the differences between 10 small and large spoons, for example, ice cream; the quantity is important to it, not the volume. Small appliances will help you avoid overeating. Another nice fact is that most people can easily eat 20% more or less than their usual serving and not even notice it. Small plates and utensils will help you use this feature of the body.
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Avoid skipping meals
Creating a regular eating plan and sticking to it is one of the most effective ways to stop overeating.
Skipping meals can promote food cravings and increase the risk of overeating.
One small, two-month study found that one large meal a day increased levels of blood sugar and the hunger hormone ghrelin more than eating three times a day (3).
Another study of 38 people found that maintaining a regular eating pattern was associated with a reduction in the frequency of binge eating episodes (4).
If you tend to eat large amounts of food at each meal three or fewer times a day, creating a regular eating schedule that includes smaller, more frequent meals can help you stop overeating.
Summary:
Keeping a regular eating schedule may reduce your risk of overeating and may be associated with lower levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin and blood sugar.
Colored dishes
It has long been known that certain colors can awaken or, conversely, suppress appetite. Armed with this knowledge, you can choose dishes. For example, the color red (as well as yellow, orange, pink) causes a strong feeling of hunger. On plates in neutral shades - white or gray, the food also looks appetizing, and you want to eat more.
To reduce appetite, it is better to use dishes of blue, cyan, and violet colors. You can go further - use a blue tablecloth or even add such shades to the kitchen or other room where you eat more often.
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Stay Hydrated
Drinking plenty of water throughout the day is a simple but effective way to curb cravings and stop overeating.
In fact, research shows that increasing your water intake may be associated with decreased calorie intake and less hunger.
For example, one study of 24 older adults found that drinking 500 ml of water before eating reduced calorie intake by 13% compared to the control group (7).
Similarly, another study in older adults found that drinking 375–500 ml of water 30 minutes before meals significantly reduced hunger and calorie intake while increasing the feeling of fullness in the stomach throughout the day (8).
Other studies show that drinking more water can boost metabolism and increase weight loss (9, 10).
The amount of water you should drink each day may vary depending on various factors. Therefore, to ensure you stay well hydrated, it is best to listen to your body and drink when you feel thirsty.
Summary:
Drinking plenty of water can help keep your stomach feeling full, helping you reduce food intake and prevent overeating.
Eat slowly
The brain receives a signal with a delay that your stomach is already full and you are full, so try to prolong the pleasure and eat slowly. You shouldn’t pounce on food and absorb it at cosmic speed, as you are more likely to overeat - in such cases, the brain simply does not have the ability to signal satiety in a timely manner. It is better to take food in small pieces and chew them thoroughly before starting the next one.
Eating more slowly will also help to take breaks - put down your fork or spoon to drink water or just stretch. In addition, you should listen to your body and do not sit at the table if you are not hungry.
The essence of overeating and signs of the problem
Gluttons attach enormous, emotional meaning to food. And at the same time they absorb much more food than they need. For life and saturation. Overeating becomes the norm for them.
Here are the main symptoms of this terrible habit:
- a person eats quickly and in large quantities;
- can eat regardless of the daily routine, in the evenings and even at night;
- is able to recognize the problem, but cannot stop eating a lot, so he eats goodies secretly;
- Only large portions of tasty treats can save you from stress; other methods do not help;
- at the moment of saturation, a person seems to fall into “autopilot” mode and is not able to control himself.
Get enough sleep and get up early
It pays to be a morning person! Scientists from Northwestern University found that people who get up no later than 8 am consume almost 200 fewer calories at lunch and almost 400 fewer after 8 pm. If you want to lose weight, this is a great motivation to go to bed and get up early.
A full eight-hour sleep will also help in the fight against excess weight - American scientists observed 68 thousand subjects for 15 years and found that people who sleep 7-8 hours are less prone to obesity than those who do not get enough sleep.
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Mindful Eating Practice
Mindful eating is a practice that involves listening to your body and paying attention to how you feel in the present moment.
This method can prevent overeating by helping you learn to recognize when you no longer feel hungry.
One review of 14 studies found that mindful reflection was effective in reducing the frequency of alcohol use and emotional eating (5).
Another small study found that combining mindfulness with cognitive behavioral therapy can improve eating behavior and self-awareness (6).
Try listening to your body to know when your hunger decreases. Also, practice eating slowly and enjoying your food to prevent overeating and promote healthy eating habits.
Summary:
Practicing mindful and mindful eating can help you recognize when you are no longer hungry to improve eating behavior and reduce the frequency of overeating.
Try practicing yoga
Yoga is a practice that involves developing the body and mind through specific breathing exercises, poses and meditation, which helps reduce stress and improve relaxation.
Research shows that yoga can help encourage healthy eating habits and reduce the risk of emotional eating.
One small study of 50 people with eating disorders found that practicing yoga for 12 weeks resulted in a significant reduction in binge eating episodes (11).
Another study of 20 teenage girls found that combining yoga with outpatient eating disorder treatment reduced depression, anxiety, and body image disorders, all of which may be factors associated with emotional eating (12).
Research also shows that yoga can reduce levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, helping to keep stress under control and prevent overeating (13, 14).
Try joining a local yoga studio to incorporate this type of exercise into your daily lifestyle. You can also use online resources and videos to practice yoga at home.
Summary:
Yoga can help prevent overeating and can reduce common causes such as stress, depression and anxiety.
Keep a food and mood journal
A food and mood journal can be an effective tool that includes tracking what you eat and how you feel. It helps you take responsibility, identify potential triggers, and improve healthy eating habits.
Keeping a food and mood journal makes it easier to find and eliminate potential problems and triggers.
One study of 17 people found that using an online self-help program that included keeping a food diary was associated with fewer binge eating episodes (25).
Several other studies also suggest that tracking the food you eat may be associated with increased weight loss and better success in long-term weight control (26, 27, 28).
To get started, simply start recording what you eat and how you feel every day using a journal or app.
Summary:
Food and mood journals can help identify triggers to address potential problems. Research shows that using a food diary is associated with fewer binge eating episodes as well as weight loss.
Don't eat with someone who overeats
If you can't eat alone, at least choose people with healthy eating habits.
People tend to B. Ellison, J. L. Lusk, D. Davis. Looking at the label and beyond: The effects of calorie labels, health consciousness, and demographics on caloric intake in restaurants / International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity choosing junk food “for company.” If your interlocutor eats two Big Macs with a liter of cola, you are more likely to allow yourself to eat more and also order something unhealthy.
Consider your weaknesses
Some crave sweets, others cannot live without baked goods or French fries. Think about which high-calorie foods make you lose your mind, and no longer keep them in your home. To fill the snacking gap, make tuna sandwiches, fruit platters, banana, white yogurt and nut desserts and other healthy options.
If you can’t live without candy and chips, at least put them away from the table in the cupboard so that when you pass by you don’t automatically snag a handful of junk food.
Clean your kitchen
Having a lot of junk food in your kitchen can greatly contribute to overeating when food cravings begin to increase.
Conversely, having healthy foods on hand can reduce the risk of emotional eating by limiting unhealthy options.
Get rid of processed factory snacks like chips, candy and pre-packaged convenience foods and replace them with healthier alternatives.
Stock your kitchen with fruits, vegetables, proteins, whole grains, nuts and seeds. This will help you improve your diet and reduce the risk of overeating unhealthy foods.
Summary:
Removing unhealthy foods from your kitchen and replacing them with healthy alternatives can improve the quality of your diet and make it harder to overeat.
10. Getting enough sleep
Sleep affects hunger levels and appetite, and sleep deprivation can be associated with overeating.
In fact, one study of 146 people found that people with eating disorders reported significantly more insomnia symptoms than people without the disorder (23).
Another large study found that shorter sleep duration was associated with higher levels of the hormone ghrelin and lower levels of leptin, a hormone responsible for increasing feelings of fullness.
Additionally, sleeping up to eight hours a night has been associated with higher body weight (24).
To keep your appetite under control and reduce your risk of overeating, aim to sleep at least eight hours a night.
Summary:
An eating disorder may be associated with an increase in insomnia symptoms. Sleep deprivation has been shown to reduce levels of hormones that affect hunger and appetite.
Don't give up all your favorite foods at once
To do this, you need iron willpower. But even this will not help if external circumstances are against you. Stress and fatigue can destroy your self-control, you will break down and act according to the principle: “The barn burned down, the house burns.”
Shift your focus to eating healthy foods, but occasionally allow yourself delicious high-calorie foods.
There's nothing wrong with eating a slice of pizza, ice cream, or chocolate as long as you eat healthy the rest of the day. This will help you avoid breakdowns at first and get used to proper nutrition.
Change your eating habits gradually. Sometimes allow yourself tasty high-calorie foods to avoid crashing.
Increase your protein intake
Increasing your intake of protein-rich foods can help you feel full and help control your appetite to stop overeating.
One study of 19 people found that increasing protein intake from 15% to 30% resulted in significant reductions in body weight and fat mass, as well as an average reduction in daily caloric intake of 441 calories (33).
Similarly, another study found that following a high-protein diet increased metabolism, increased satiety, and increased levels of GLP-1, a hormone known to suppress appetite (34).
Try to include at least one good source of protein (such as meat, eggs, nuts, seeds, or legumes) with each meal, and enjoy high-protein snacks when you feel hungry to reduce food cravings.
Summary:
Increasing your protein intake has been shown to reduce calorie intake, increase satiety levels, and increase levels of the hormone GLP-1, which can help suppress appetite.
Start working out in the gym
Research shows that incorporating exercise into your daily routine can prevent overeating.
For example, one six-month study of 77 people found that increasing the frequency of weekly exercise reduced overeating in 81% of participants (18).
Another study of 84 women found that combining cognitive behavioral therapy with regular exercise was significantly more effective in reducing the frequency of binge eating episodes compared to therapy alone (19).
Additionally, other studies show that exercise can reduce stress levels and improve mood, thereby preventing emotional eating (20).
Walking, running, swimming, cycling, dancing and vigorous play sports are just a few different forms of physical activity that can help relieve stress and reduce overeating.
Summary:
Research shows that exercise can reduce the risk of overeating and reduce stress levels.
