What to eat to lose weight? This question is constantly spinning in your head, and you can not refuse crispy crackers, fluffy popcorn, delicious cold cola chips and delicious milk chocolate? It's time to understand what makes you eat more than you need, and how to get rid of the main causes of overeating in women for good.
REASON 1
You don't notice what you're eating
Solution: Close the book, turn off the TV, put away the phone, take a small plate and sit down at the table. Small appliances will help you focus on the process of eating and eat more slowly. If during the working day you really don’t have a minute and have to snack right at the table, don’t eat from bags or large packages. Put food on your plate and refrain from additives.
READER TIP: I eat on a schedule
"I've shed some extra pounds by always eating at my desk. This advice may seem obvious to some, but I have three small children (8, 6 and 5 years old) and I cook, wash and clean something all day long. I used to chew on the go, finishing everything that the children left on the plates. Now we have a strict rule at home: everyone helps mom set the table and eat together. Lost 4 kilos in two months!”
Anna, 36, Volgograd
REASON 2
You eat at night
By 10 pm, when household chores are finished and the children are in bed, you have only the energy left to sit comfortably in front of the TV with a bag of cookies and a glass of wine. Nutritionists are sure that it is precisely such evening snacks that cause extra pounds.
According to the American National Institute of Nutrition, women who regularly eat before bed consume 15% more calories than those who stop right after dinner. Here is the psychology behind overeating.
Solution: If every night at about the same time you feel an irresistible desire to eat, it's most likely not a feeling of hunger, but a habit. Try to change your daily routine a little. Instead of watching a TV series, read a book, take a few minutes to stretch, or take a walk in the yard. Movies and chips are a great combination, but you probably won't want to eat chips during yoga.
READER TIP: How I Stopped Overeating at Night
“If I feel hungry before bed, I only eat berries, natural yogurt and fresh vegetables (carrots, celery, cucumbers). There are very few calories in these products, so I don’t gain weight, but I don’t have to go to bed hungry either.”
Ekaterina, 42, Nizhny Novgorod
REASON 3
You constantly chew between lunch and dinner
You have heard many times that fractional nutrition allows you to maintain optimal weight, but why are you still unable to get rid of extra pounds? As nutritionists advise, you do not starve, try to snack between main meals. The problem is most likely that you can't stop eating too much.
The solution to one of the main reasons for overeating: For fractional meals to work for you, the ideal snack should be no more than 150 kcal and no less 14 g of protein. For example, two hard-boiled eggs or a glass of natural yogurt meet these requirements. And try not to succumb to the tempting inscriptions on the packages. For example, labeling “sugar-free,” “0% fat,” or “no preservatives” causes us to almost double the amount of calories in foods. 50 snacks that are under 100 calories.
READER TIP: My failsafe method
“I love sweets and I know I can’t stop when I see a chocolate bar or a package of cakes in front of me. To protect myself from temptations, I now simply do not keep any sweets at home. If I want sweets or cakes, I have to get dressed, leave the house and walk to the store. Most often it becomes lazy.”
Inna, 27, St. Petersburg
REASON 4
If you have chips in front of you, you will definitely eat them
Crackers on the table, sweets at the office, donuts at a kid's birthday party - if you see something harmful in front of you, you can't control yourself. You will eat this donut even if you are not hungry! Blame it on your own brain. The sight of high-calorie, sugary, fatty foods activates the pleasure centers in the brain. Because of this, it is almost impossible to refuse one (and then another hundred and one) pieces.
Solution: Don't rely on willpower. A more reliable way is to protect yourself from temptations as much as possible, and not to resist them. What does this mean in practice? If you come to dinner at a restaurant, immediately tell the waiter that you do not need to bring a bread basket. And if during the meeting there is a bowl of sweets and cookies on the table, sit away from it so that it is impossible to reach.
READER TIP: How I escape fast food
"I always have a couple of muesli bars in my bag, a bag of nuts and a small bottle of water. If I feel hungry in the store or on the road, I can have a snack and calmly wait until lunch. And when you don't feel hungry, it's easier to give up French fries, buttery donuts with cream and burgers!”
Anastasia, 34, Moscow
REASON 5
You eat on a nerve
If you're feeling anxious, the perfect way to relax is a piece of chocolate. And better - a few pieces of chocolate, a bag of chips and a little more ice cream and cocoa. There is nothing surprising. Stress has traditionally been the number one cause of emotional overeating in women.
Solution: Take a few minutes to honestly answer the question: what is really going on? Are you worried because your mother said something unpleasant to you? Are you panicking because prices are going up and wages are not going up? Worried about an uncertain situation at work? Before you reach for candy and ice cream, think about what else will help you calm down. Maybe you should call your mom and make up? Go outside to take your mind off work turmoil? Call a friend and complain heartily about a hard life? Learn more about how to stop stress eating.
READER TIP: The way I tell myself to stop
"If I'm nervous and craving sweets, I set a timer on my phone for 30 minutes. If chocolate is still needed after half an hour, I eat it. But more often you manage to do without sweets.”
Irina, 39, Tula