Losing Weight: Redefine Full in Four Steps

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Article Title:

Losing Weight: Redefine Full in Four Steps

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Overeating is about more than reckless epic binges or always

ordering the double large portion from your favorite

restaurant. In many cases it can actually be a very subtle

occurrence, done one small step at a time rather than in a

big and noticeable way. There are classic signs of

overeating, and they are entirely manageable with good habit

building.

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Distribution Date and Time: 2010-02-23 10:45:00

Written By: Larry Tobin

Copyright: 2010

Contact Email: mailto:larry.tobin@...

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Losing Weight: Redefine Full in Four Steps

Copyright © 2010 Larry Tobin

Habit Changer

http://www.HabitChanger.com/

Overeating is about more than reckless epic binges or always

ordering the double large portion from your favorite restaurant.

In many cases it can actually be a very subtle occurrence, done

one small step at a time rather than in a big and noticeable way.

For example, do you frequently find yourself eating just a little

too much, so you feel lethargic or uncomfortable after most

meals? Do you look at your empty plate, decide to have just a bit

more, and find yourself regretting it half an hour later?

These are classic signs of overeating, and they are entirely

manageable with good habit building. Remember the basic truth

about replacing bad habits with good ones: it only takes 30 to 60

days to get a good habit established.

Just the Right Amount Leaves You Feeling Just Right

We've discussed the difference between cravings and hunger

before, and this article touches on a similar subject. Our

perception of hunger and satisfaction can lead us astray if

we're not used to reading that perception properly. We sometimes

eat quickly and think we're still a bit hungry once our plate is

cleaned, so we try to have a bit more. The problem is that our

body often is a little slow to realize the stomach is full, and

thus we outrun our senses and overeat until we feel too full.

There are some signs you can use to recognize if you're

overeating. Frequently suffering from post-food coma and lethargy

is a sure sign of overeating. You should never feel bloated after

a meal. You should feel comfortable, without either aches from

too much food or pangs from having too little. Instead, recognize

the sense of equilibrium, feel that you've had just enough and

feel good from it.

Four Keys to Feeling Properly Full

As with all good habits, developing a proper sense of satisfied

fullness is not one big step that is accomplished overnight, but

a series of distinct elements that can be tackled one at a time

to make the task easier and more manageable.

1. Take control of every meal. Don't eat just because, or

haphazardly put a meal together. Measure out your proper portions

as per the diet plan you've chosen to follow, and build your

meal around those portions. Part of irregular feelings of hunger

or fullness can come from unexpected changes in portion size, so

try to keep your meals regular and let your body adapt to this

pattern.

2. Ditch second helpings. Put everything you intend to eat on

your plate immediately. Don't build up a large pile of food so

you can go back for seconds, but rather put your intended meal on

the plate and in front of you. Similar to the trick of closing

the kitchen for the evening, this helps you build a habit and

personal willpower necessary for controlling your diet. You have

your meal in front of you, so you don't need to go back to the

kitchen for any other helpings.

3. Wait for the signs. Once you have finished eating, it is

important to consider that it can take twenty minutes for the

stomach to send signals to your brain that you're full. Set a

timer for twenty minutes once your meal is done, and let your

body have a chance to process these signals. Water is a valuable

tool here. If you still want seconds, have a glass of water to

provide a sense of fullness without adding unneeded calories.

4. Know the feeling. After these twenty minutes, consider how you

feel hunger-wise. In most cases you will probably feel satisfied

- no too hungry, and not too full. This is what it feels like to

be politely full, and is the benchmark you want to reach for. If

you still genuinely feel hungry, you may wish to reconsider the

portions size you're having at dinner, in the future. You

shouldn't have to go back to the kitchen for food after a meal.

Using these four tactics when you eat will build a healthy habit

of knowing when you are full to cut down on unhealthy overeating.

A Thought on Low-Calorie Food

Lower-calorie food can be good for you. However, it is not carte

blanche to eat large portions of food. If you train yourself to

eat larger portions of low-calorie food, chances are you'll soon

overeat on higher calorie food as well. The trick is to train

your body to accept reasonable portions, so you can benchmark

your degree of hunger and eat appropriately.

Again, this is an easy step that can help you build that 30-60

day healthy habit. Training yourself to feel full once your body

has taken in all the food it needs makes dieting in general much

easier, and makes you feel better to boot. Take your time, enjoy

your meal, and then check yourself after twenty minutes to begin

feeling properly full.

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Larry Tobin is the co-creator of

http://www.HabitChanger.com/ offering effective

and empowering solutions for losing weight.

Try our 42-day weight loss program at:

http://www.habitchanger.com/losingweight