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Why We Overeat: Lack of Sleep

FitSugar — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 03:47:24 -0700

We know that healthy portion sizes are the way to go if we're trying to slim down or maintain a healthy weight. So why is it that we're so quick to overdo it when it comes to eating? Health magazine suggests one reason may be that you're not getting enough Zs. When our bodies don't get the proper amount of sleep, two weight-related hormones are affected - leptin and ghrelin. These hormones are responsible for controlling your appetite and making you feel full. In a recent study, participants who slept for only fours hours had an 18 percent decrease in leptin, the hormone that tells the brain you've had enough food. On the other hand, ghrelin, the hormone that triggers hunger, showed a 28 percent increase. That means if you're not getting enough sleep at night, chances are your appetite will be increased when you're awake, so you'll end up eating more than you would if you were well-rested. The problem is sleep-deprived people tend to reach for sugary, high-carb foods for quick energy and comfort, which translates to weight gain.

So break the cycle and be sure to get at least seven hours of sleep a night. If you're feeling tired during the day, reach for a food that contains high-fiber carbs, such as oatmeal, whole-grain bread, and whole-wheat pasta. Eat it with protein to feel full longer and have sustained energy.

How to Prevent Overeating at Barbecues

FitSugar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 04:30:43 -0700

If you're headed to a barbecue this weekend, arm yourself with these tips from fellow FitSugar readers on how to prevent overindulging on all the good eats.

Hottpink says, "I make sure I eat a little something healthy before I go. If I arrive at the BBQ starving then I have a harder time controlling myself!!"
"I bring something that is healthy that I know I like and try to fill up more on that. Then either eat the other stuff in moderation that's not so good or bring substitutes like turkey dogs or slaw with a vinegar dressing as opposed to mayo, etc." - kclulu
"I let myself have a hamburger and a few chips so I don't feel deprived, and fill up the rest of my plate with fruits and vegetables." - a million suns
"I stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, and that helps keep my hunger in check. I also let myself have one to two bites of something that is not so good for me, and fill the rest of my plate with things that are nutritious." - telane

Read a few more tips

Holiday Survival: How to Prevent Overeating

FitSugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 03:15:00 -0800

In my family, Thanksgiving tends to be a full day of nonstop eating. With all the delicious foods on the table, from turkey, to cranberry walnut stuffing, to real mashed potatoes and gravy, to the smorgasbord of desserts, you just don't want to stop. Here are some tips to prevent yourself from feeling engorged.

Ignore the appetizers and save room for the food you're really craving.
If you have the need to try everything, use the teaspoon rule. Take only a small scoop of each food rather than huge servings of each.
Talk and eat. If you chat in between bites, you'll end up eating slower, which will help you eat less.
Don't eat while watching TV. You'll end up mindlessly putting food in your mouth because you're distracted, and the food won't register in your brain, so you'll end up eating more. So take 30 minutes to sit down and eat, and then you can hop in front of the game after.

For more tips on how to prevent overeating this Thanksgiving, read more.

Use a small plate. The less food you can carry back to your seat, the less you'll eat.
Don't say no to foods you love. If you deny yourself a slice of your mom's famous pecan pie, you'll just end up craving it even more, which may result in a 2 a.m. pie binge. So go ahead and cut yourself a small slice and savor every bite.
Skip the holiday beverages that are loaded with calories, and drink water or hot tea instead.
Keep in mind that you don't have to try everything. Relatives may try to push their new recipes on you, but just politely fib and say, "I'll get it when I go for seconds." Or say, "I already tried it and it's delicious. Can I have the recipe?"
Dessert doesn't have to immediately follow dinner. If all the cakes and pies are served before you feel ready to eat more, then make a little plate of dessert for yourself and save it for later.
Or if you've saved room for dessert, share a plate with your significant other. That way you can try a little taste of everything.

Source

Another Reason For Moderation: Overeating Affects Your Brain

FitSugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:00:00 -0700

Not only does overeating make you digestive system work overtime, but it also does a doozy on your brain.

American scientists recently found that overeating stimulates a usually dormant immune pathway in the brain. Once stimulated the brain then sounds the alarm for the immune system to battle invaders that aren't really there. The overactive immune system then creates an inflammation response all over the body. Chronic inflammation leads to chronic disease like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

The pathway between the hypothalamus, the brain center that regulates energy, and the immune system is usually inactive - a remnant of an immune system that we have evolved beyond needing. It seems that "overnutrition," a scientific term (or euphemism?) for overeating has stimulated this vestigial immune system and the consequences are making us ill.

While scientists hope this discovery can lead to a medical intervention for obesity and obesity-related illnesses, it is just another reminder that moderation is key to a healthy lifestyle.

Source

Diet Tip: How to Stop Overeating

FitSugar — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 09:30:00 -0700

You eat when you're hungry and you stop when you're full. Makes sense right, but it can be a hard rule to follow. Not only does food taste good and make us happy when we eat it, but portion sizes have gotten out of control. Restaurants serve huge plates of food and all you can eat buffets offer an endless amount, so we don't realize that we're actually eating two or three times the calories we should be. Here are some tips to help prevent you from overeating.

Savor the first few bites. Those initial moments the food enters your mouth are the most satisfying because your taste buds are so sensitive. Taking the time to enjoy those first bites or spoonfuls of food may prevent you from eating until you're stuffed.
Eat slowly. When your stomach is full, your brain won't necessarily get the message until 20 minutes later. So if you take time to enjoy every bite, you'll be able to notice when your body feels satisfied. If you scarf down your food quickly, you'll end up eating much more than you need, and you won't realize it until after you're stuffed.

To see the other helpful tips read more.

Eat off of smaller plates and bowls. When you use a big plate, it's hard not to fill it all up with food. Smaller plates mean smaller portion sizes.
When you're eating, just eat. Don't eat while driving, watching TV, or while on the computer. You'll end up mindlessly putting food in your mouth because you're distracted, and the food tends not to register in our brains, so we end up eating more. Instead take at least 20 minutes to sit and eat, so you can really feel the pleasure of your food.
Eat nutritious foods. Ones that are full of fiber, protein, and vitamins will make your body feel physically satisfied, so you won't feel hungry as quickly.
Eat the foods you really enjoy. Denying yourself the foods you crave will only make you crave them more. If your favorite food happens to be high in calories and fat, just have a few bites to satisfy your taste buds.
When you're out to eat, order smaller portion sizes, split a meal or dessert with a friend, or put half your meal in a to-go container before you take your first bite.

Source

How to Detox After Your Thanksgiving Feast

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 02:00:00 -0800

If you ate more than you wanted to at your Thanksgiving meal, you are not alone. So to help the digestion process along, here are a few ideas.

Drink ginger tea; it helps to improve digestion.
Chewable papaya enzyme can help promote digestion as well.

The next morning:

Oatmeal is really high in insoluble fiber, which helps get things moving.
Drink plenty of water to help the body digest and eliminate waste.

The rest of the day:

Eat foods high in insoluble fiber, like carrot sticks, with your turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread.
Get exercise: Nothing helps more than a little motion and a little sweating to help the body process and burn the extra calories you consumed.

Source

Friends Don't Let Friends Eat Too Much...

FitSugar — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 03:30:00 -0700

...well actually, they do.

Have you ever noticed that when you're eating with a large group of people, you tend to eat more than you would if it were just you or you and your husband? Turns out you're not alone (or crazy), it's completely normal.

Check out these statistics:

On average, if you dine with one other person you will eat about 35 percent more than if you were alone. (Spouses don't have this effect because couples tend to get into a regular eating pattern and consume about the same amount.)

If you eat with a party of seven or more, you will gobble up 96 percent more, or nearly twice as much. Sound like Thanksgiving? And if you get a table for four, you will end up right in the middle, eating about 75 percent more calories than if you dined alone.

Crazy, right? Perhaps this is why some families are all overweight and others aren't. Not ready to give up your group gatherings just yet? There are ways to beat the statistics so read more

Here are some great tips from MSNBC on controlling what we eat:

Try to be the last person to start eating.
Pace yourself with the slowest eater at the table.
Avoid the “just one more helping” request (and temptation) by always leaving some food on your plate, as if you are still eating.
Preregulate consumption by deciding how much to eat prior to the meal instead of during the meal.

Source

Overeating or Bingeing: What's the Difference?

FitSugar — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 08:45:00 -0700

A lot of people have been asking about the differences in overeating and bingeing. Just because you overeat, does not mean you have a problem bingeing. Splurging on three pieces of pizza (and laughing about it with your diet buddies) is not necessarily considered a binge and it really differs on a case by case basis.

Here's the deal from The Center for Emotional Well-Being:

Eating more than you plan isn’t necessarily a binge. The exact amount will depend from person to person. This means that for one person a binge may be eating an entire packet of chocolate macaroons, but for another it could be a jumbo pizza, and a tub of ice cream with a beer chaser. Other indications of bingeing are three or more of the following:

Eating faster than normal

Eating until feeling uncomfortably full

Eating large amounts of food when you are not physically hungry

Eating alone or hiding eating to avoid embarrassment

Feeling ashamed, disgusted, depressed, distressed or guilty about overeating

Bingers are also known to hoard food and hide empty food containers. If you are concerned that you, or someone you know, may have an eating disorder then please contact a professional who can help you with this matter. Check out NEDA.org to find a provider near you.

Source

Overeating? Change Your Tablecloth

FitSugar — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 03:30:00 -0700

So ever since you've heard the news about how people tend to overeat while watching TV, you've starting eating at the table. But how come you're still finding yourself overeating? Maybe it's what's on your table.

Here's why: A weight loss researcher from the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions claims that color influences the process of eating much more in the overweight than the underweight. So if you're overweight, get a tablecloth that's dark green, dark blue or coffee-colored brown, because it will help suppress your appetite. Which is why you're probably thinking that the colors above probably do not look appetizing to you at all.

And what has the opposite effect? Shades of orange, yellow and red tend to stimulate appetite and make us overeat.

Get Over the Hump Day: You in the Kitchen

FitSugar — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:47:43 -0800

Simply put: when you cook your own food, you have more control over what you eat. That's why this week's challenge for the Get Fit For 2010 giveaway is to share a healthy recipe in the Get Fit For 2010 community group. Doing so enters you to win a $100 gift card from Nike, as well as our awesome grand prize.

I, for one, love photographs of food, and find they inspire me to cook. For that reason, we are giving extra credit to any recipe with a gallery in it. Pictured above is the gallery that Heather from LilSugar posted to the Get Fit group for her green bean stir-fry recipe. If you make a photo gallery for your healthy dish you receive two entries for one blog post, and the more you enter the more chances you have to win. Here's tips on how to make a gallery of your photos. Get thee to the kitchen . . . with a camera, and show us what you can make.