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Overeating: The signs and the remedies

Do you find yourself eating even after you're fully satiated? Here's how to tell if you're overdoing it -- and how to rectify the situation.

You keep loading yourself with extra food and calories even though you are already full.

But how much is too much?

No one can tell you the exact amount of food you require, although there are some serving sizes recognised by diet planners. These, however, are just standard measurements, mostly gauged irrespective of one's age, height, weight and sex.

Hence it's hard for anyone to stick to right eating based on serving sizes. We normally try to eat till we feel satisfied and full from within. So, you can well understand that it is just a relative feeling which varies from one person to the other.

In the following pages, we bring you signs that indicate you're overeating and tips to overcome this habit.

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Signs of overeating

Although there is no measure of how much food is just right for you, you can still decide it on the basis of your own feelings. You should know that you have overeaten when:

• You start feeling loaded or bloated immediately after the meal.
• The food makes you feel uncomfortable, even though it was supposed to bring satisfaction from within.
• You start feeling lazy, sleepy or drowsy immediately after the meal and you feel the need to lie down.
• You feel so full that you have a vomiting sensation.
• You feel thirsty, but can't drink water as you are already bloated.

Circumstances which can lead to overeating

• Stress: If you are unhappy or stressed, there is a chance that you might overeat. "Mood eaters" as they are referred to, tend to overeat due to the release of certain hormones. When a person is stressed, the levels of the stress hormones rise. Food, especially carbs, have a soothing effect on the brain -- they can suppress the stress hormones and make you feel better.
• Habit: Some people indulge in overeating just out of habit and there isn't much that you can do about it, unless the person himself/herself is motivated to change habits and lifestyle. Binge eating can be controlled with appropriate steps.
• Brain dysfunction: It denotes a condition in which the brain receptors fail to receive the "fullness" signal sent by the stomach. Sometimes the stomach does not send any signal at all. This is mostly seen in mentally challenged people or school-going kids, whose brains are in the developmental stage.
• Parties: At functions or parties, the hosts may just be a little more pushy and we may have to stuff ourselves to please them.

Tips to avoid overeating

• Eat at the dining table: Always eat at the dining table, rather than sitting on the sofa or the bed. These are the places where you feel most relaxed and comfortable and this allows you to overeat!
• Don't combine eating with other activities: Never combine eating with other activities like watching TV or reading books or newspapers. If your mind gets diverted, you may fail to receive the signal and overeat. The brain takes 20 minutes to realise that the stomach is full, so eat slowly and chew your food properly.
• Eat salads before a meal: A very good trick is to eat a plate of salad 10 to 15 minutes before you have your actual meal. This way, when you sit to eat, your brain will know exactly how much more food is needed.
• Consume smaller meals between the main ones: People who take only two or three meals a day tend to overeat at all three. The best way is to incorporate two small mid-meals in the mid-morning and the mid-afternoons to avoid overeating during main meals.

We all know where the main problem lies! When we indulge in delicious foods and the ones listed as our favorites, we simply forget when to stop. We need a conscious effort to clear the boundary line.