How to End Overeating by Changing Your Behavior

Ending your drive to overeat is difficult but not impossible.

In his landmark book, "The End of Overeating" David Kessler describes how the American public has been lured into overeating by the food industry through their continuous pursuit of developing new and tasty foods. These same foods happen to be laden with salt, fat and sugar which are all contributing to our drive to eat and then become overweight. Luckily there are multiple ways to change your behavior and avoid these temptations so that eventually your drive to overeat will be greatly reduced.

Things You'll Need

• Journal

Instructions

1. 

   It can be hard to only eat just one.

   Identify the situations that put you at highest risk for overeating or eating unhealthy food. This will vary from person to person. For you it might be driving past your favorite fast food restaurant, walking down the candy aisle in the grocery store, eating in a restaurant, attending the office party or passing by the cookie jar in your own home.

2. 

   Many people overeat in restaurants.

   Plan routes away from those places that you know will trigger an overeating binge, and use your creativity to keep yourself from overeating. Mentally prepare yourself before you attend an office party by telling yourself in advance that you will only eat until you are full. If you go to a restaurant, ask the server to put half your dinner in a doggie bag before the meal is served or split the meal with your dinner partner. Limit your time in stimulating environments so that you are less likely to overeat.

3. 

   Reward yourself for your success.

   Keep a journal of your successes. Reward yourself in ways that don't involve eating food for avoiding or creatively dealing with high risk eating situations. Read a good book, take a hot bath, go get a massage or meet a friend to take in the latest movie.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoiding and not rewarding your craving for certain foods will diminish your desire for them.

• Stay away from restaurants that tend to load on the sugar, fat and salt such as the Cheesecake Factory and Chinese restaurants.

References

• The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite, David Kessler, 2009
• National Heart, Lung Blood Institute: Guide to Behavior Change

Resources

• If I'm So Smart, Why Can't I Lose Weight?: Tools to Get it Done, Brooke Castillo, 2006