Overeating Triggers To Watch Out For

Whether an individual is just worried about gaining a few more pounds or is trying to fight a binge eating disorder, knowing the common overeating triggers can greatly swing the battle in their favor. Changing eating habits is an act of discipline that will require focus and knowledge to properly hone. From not eating enough to eating at bad times, there are numerous pitfalls to watch out for. Thus, individuals should keep an open mind and try to structure their daily routine so they don't fall prey to any of these triggers. It won't be long before they stop overeating habits dead in their tracks.

Not Eating Enough

It seems logical that eating less is the best way to reduce weight. While this is true, not eating enough can lead to overeating if an individual is drastically reducing their caloric intake. When someone eats much less than usual, their body is thrown into a state of chaos that sets up the potential for overeating. First of all, ghrelin levels rise significantly to make the individual feel hungry. Their satiety hormones, such as PYY and leptin, will drop so they don't feel satisfied after eating a regular meal. Their body is telling them to get more calories, but with the lack of satiety, individuals can find themselves eating one or two day's worth of calories in a single meal before feeling full. Reducing food consumption by a little is good for weight loss, but drastically reducing calories can lead to overeating.

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Snacking Throughout The Day

There is a right and wrong way when it comes to snacking throughout the day. Having an apple or some nuts here and there due to hunger, particularly when these are part of the overall planned diet, is no issue. The problem is when individuals eat chips, cookies, chocolate, and other high-calorie, nutritionally-deficient foods throughout the day. It's easy to ingest six hundred or more calories without feeling full in the slightest with these actions. Not only that, but this causes the body to feel hungry if it doesn't have these extra calories, leading to bouts of seeking out larger meals to feel satisfied. A healthy snack can reduce feelings of hunger, but unchecked snacking on bad foods can quickly expand an individual's waistline.

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Stress Eating

Stress eating, which falls under the larger umbrella of emotional eating, is when individuals eat in response to stress. It's a coping mechanism that helps individuals relax. It might seem strange, but stress actually reduces hunger initially. This allows the individual the ability to deal with the situation at hand without hunger being a distraction. Prolonged stress leads to an increase in cortisol, which leads to craving fatty and sugary foods. Not only that, but the goal of stress eating isn't to feel full. The goal is to feel calm, which comes from the dopamine released when eating. The more stressed an individual is, the more food and dopamine they'll be looking for. Not only that, but this builds a reward path in the brain that makes individuals seek out additional food whenever they feel even the slightest bit of stress.

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Eating Late At Night

Eating late at night might seem harmless initially, especially if you intend on eating a small meal just before going to sleep. While this might not seem bad, numerous issues can pop up from individuals eating right before going to bed. First of all, this deeply impacts the digestive cycle. Everyone's metabolism is not prepared for large meals before bed, so this leads to poor fat metabolism. The other problem is individuals are more likely to eat a large meal before bed. They might be stressed about how their day went, and they have nowhere to go, so it only makes sense to want a big, fatty meal before going to sleep. Do your best to avoid eating late as it's a habit that's difficult to break.

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Using Food As A Coping Mechanism

This falls in line with emotional eating, but it's far broader in scope. If individuals find every mood turns into a reason to eat, they might be using food as a coping mechanism. Clear signs are it helps them get over stress and anger, makes them feel like they accomplished something and punctuates successes, and fills the empty space of boredom and loneliness. Every mood, whether it be good or bad, turns into a reason to eat. This can be difficult to break, but it's important to realize when food has become the sole coping mechanism. This is the first step in the process of creating and using healthier outlets for feelings. It's difficult, but it is absolutely possible to change this behavior and live a healthier life.