I Need to Stop Eating

Have you ever said this to yourself: "I need to stop eating?" Sometimes when attempting to diet and lose weight our inner monologue can be our own worst enemy encouraging us to; 'just have one more', 'a little bit won't hurt', 'it won't make any difference now' and so on.

Trying to ignore these thoughts and stop eating for the sake of it, or stopping once full during a meal can be incredibly difficult, especially when it feels as though all your hard work isn't paying off.

However, there are different compulsions at work here, from the serious to the simple diet saboteur; the question is, where do yours fall?

A more serious problem with the inability to stop yourself from eating could manifest itself as bingeing on forbidden foods. Every dieter can experience this once in a while, but if this becomes a normal part of your day, especially if followed by purge activities such as vomiting or taking laxatives, then this is a serious problem requiring medical assistance.

Less serious, but no less important, are those times where 'just one' is not enough, or stopping your hand from continually reaching into the cookie jar, taking another fry or chipping off another piece of cheese feels like an impossible task.

This is where mindful eating can help. When eating scheduled meals and snacks (not the snatched tidbits as above), take the time to appreciate what you are eating. Chew each mouthful. Don't read or have the TV on in the background. Eat slowly and savor each mouthful. By doing this you are giving your stomach the opportunity to register that food is arriving. It can take up to 20 minutes for your stomach to recognize this, which, if you are in the habit of inhaling your food, can lead to consistent overeating.

Next, when you feel like having a 'snack' that isn't part of your plan, apply some distraction techniques. Drinking a glass of water can be a solution as we often mistake thirst for hunger, so try this first. If after ten minutes you still feel hungry, distract yourself in another way, go for a walk around the block, have a bath, phone a friend, and generally, just do something active rather than passive like sitting in front of the TV. If this still doesn't work then allow yourself to have a tiny portion of that which you fancy, but eat it mindfully. This means that even if it is just a square of chocolate, don't just stand next to the fridge and post it into your mouth, but get a plate and sit at the dining table to savor your snack.

These strategies should really help to combat the continual need to eat and transport you along your weight loss journey.