How to Stop Overeating: 7 Ways to Put Down Your Fork

How to Stop Overeating: 7 Ways to Put Down Your Fork

#1. Take 10 deep breaths.

Inhale and fill your chest with air and exhale slowly and evenly. When you're in public, you can do this subtly while still taking time to stop and breathe. Then eat again if you want, but with the awareness of whether you really want more or not.

Inhaling with a big, deep breath and exhaling with a slow, measured pace causes you to pause for a moment to acknowledge your breathing. This pause opens up space for awareness of what you are doing, rather than eating bite by bite without realizing that you just finished the entire bowl. Once you are aware of this, you can decide whether you really want to continue or not and why.

#2. Play a game with yourself: chew each bite 20 times.

Not only does chewing and counting help you focus on what you're eating, it also slows you down to prolong the enjoyment of the meal. Why not draw out the flavor for as long as possible?

#3. Drink a full glass of water between bites.

This will surely fill you up quickly. Even if you don't drink a whole glass, Fork-to-Mouth's autopilot mode will still pause when you put your fork down to take a few sips.

#4. Be honest by asking, “What happens now if I stop?”

Would you feel deprived of pleasure? Angry, disappointed? Or victorious and proud? Imagine the scenario and what you would do. Then imagine how you would feel an hour later if you stopped before going overboard.

Just pausing for a moment to think about the outcome can build your momentum to stop. While it's certainly not easy to stop eating when you're in the middle of it, knowing that you have the ability to make a choice gives you power.

#5. If you're alone, strip naked and see how long you can eat.

The awkwardness of it all can be enough to make your brain stop.

#6. Keep a notepad nearby.

When you are about to eat or want to eat more, write a list of at least 20 reasons why you should keep eating. This gives you perspective and awareness of what you are doing and how you justify it.

#7. Take your food and sit somewhere you don't normally eat.

Maybe it's on the floor in your living room, in a guest room, in your garden, etc. When you go somewhere else, your attention stays focused on the present rather than slipping into the familiar pattern.

Use these tips to "shake yourself up" to become aware of what you're doing so you can decide whether you genuinely want to continue eating or are ready to stop. You can remember that you can always come back to it later. “Waking up” to what you are doing and making the decision to continue or not is what puts you in power.

Inspired by Chelsea Lorynn O'Brien