3 Reasons Why You’re Overeating Frequently
If you’re overeating frequently, there’s probably a reason. It’s uncomfortable to feel stuffed and very full after every meal. But you’re also human. Overeating is a normal part of the eating experience. Here’s why you’re overeating frequently and what to do about it…
Do you ever OVEREAT? Of course you do, you’re human!
I’ve yet to meet someone who hasn’t eaten past a comfortable point of fullness at some point in their lives.
But if overeating is happening so often that you…
- Wake up bloated and blah,
- Have a hard time getting dressed in the morning,
- Need to unbutton your pants at most meals,
- Feel uncomfortable in your clothes,
- Don’t trust yourself at the start of a meal because you’re afraid of what may happen…
Let’s chat…
In my years of practice as a registered dietitian, there are 3 key reasons why you’re overeating frequently and what to do about it:
1. You’re not eating enough earlier in the day
Under-eating fuels overeating. Your body has smart compensatory mechanisms in place to ensure you’re well-fed.
So if you’re skipping breakfast, but feeling over-stuffed at dinner, eating breakfast could be the answer to allowing yourself to eat to a comfortable fullness level in the evening.
It may be hard that first day when you’re super full from the night before, but try to eat SOMETHING (here are some ideas) to get into a better mealtime routine.
Pssst — this goes for proper snacking throughout the day too! If you’re going too long between lunch and dinner, you’ll likely be snacking all night.
2. You’re not eating foods you love
Eating boring steamed chicken and broccoli when the rest of your family is enjoying Chinese takeout, and you realllly want fried rice, can cause you to overeat… even on “healthy” foods.
This reminds me of a recent client I was talking to… She would over-eat carrots and hummus, or almond flour crackers with peanut butter or eggs and avocado (all nutritious foods!). BUT the behavior was the same. She felt out of control around food because she wasn’t eating foods that are most SATISFYING to her.
Satisfaction is key to allow yourself to honor your hunger AND fullness. Learn more about satisfaction here.
When I gave this client permission to think first about what she was in the mood for, and then to ADD some more nourishing foods, this allowed her to stop eating when she was comfortably full – not over-full.
You CAN learn how to eat Chinese takeout in a way that *feels good* to your body. I promise it’s possible for you.
3. You’ve never gotten in touch with your fullness cues
Do you *actually* know what it feels like to be comfortably full?
Or are you so used to swinging from absolutely HANGRY you’re ‘starving to OMG I’m so insanely full?
If you’ve spent your life dieting, you’ve been following EXTERNAL RULES…
- “Don’t eat after 7pm,”
- “Only eat 1 starchy food per day,”
- “Eat 1/2 cup of brown rice with 3 oz grilled chicken and 1 cup steamed broccoli.”
Instead, we want to follow INTERNAL CUES… like noticing when you feel full.
But this is hard to do if you’re not used to listening to your body.
What does fullness even feel like? Learn more about fullness here.
It may sound “woo woo,” but getting in touch with what your body is telling you can be the secret sauce to stop overeating and start pausing when you feel comfortably full.
Of course, overeating happens. It happened to me this weekend, in fact. But once you improve your relationship with food, understand nutrition and how food works in your body, AND allow yourself to eat your favorite foods, it doesn’t happen often.
You’ll be able to bounce back without beating yourself up or getting back into a dieting mindset (AKA “Don’t eat breakfast tomorrow!”).
Plus, you can take these 3 steps after overeating to help yourself feel your best.
If you’re struggling with constantly overeating, but want to learn how to eat “normally” without a diet or strict meal plan, I invite you to apply for coaching.
XO