Strategies to help

Identifying patterns

Write down everything you eat and drink, along with your feelings and emotions at the time. This can help you identify patterns and triggers for overeating.

Slow down

Pay attention to what you eat and make a conscious effort to eat slower. This allows you to time to enjoy your food more and gives your body time to recognise when you feel full. For more information, have a look into Mindful Eating.

Balanced meals

Eating regular balanced meals keeps your energy levels stable, helps keep you feeling full and less likely to overeat later on.

Avoid distractions

Try to eat without distractions like TV, phones, or computers. Focusing on your meal can help you recognize when you’re full and prevent mindless eating.

Identify emotional triggers

Recognise situations or emotions that lead to overeating and develop strategies to address them. This could involve finding healthier ways to cope with stress or seeking support from friends, family, or professionals.

Stay hydrated

Sometimes, thirst can be mistaken for hunger. Drink water throughout the day to ensure you’re properly hydrated.

Don’t over-restrict

Restrictive eating patterns that cut out all of your favorite foods may cause you to feel deprived, potentially leading you to binge on forbidden treats.

Be kind to yourself

Being negative and self-critical about yourself only holds you back in reaching your goals. Experiencing setbacks is part of the journey and being compassionate with yourself about this makes it easier to get back on track.

Focus instead on the positive changes that you are making rather than spending the mental energy on beating yourself up.