How to Stop Sabotaging Your Weight Loss Efforts and Combat Obesity with Just Some Simple Awareness

We are living in the middle of an obesity crisis, especially in the United States of America. One of the main problems of this epidemic is complete unawareness of what we are eating or how much. There are so many environmental factors to keep us distracted that we are almost in a hopeless situation. But not entirely. We can make effective change and turn the whole thing around. Here are some of the issues.

Can You Eat Just One Chip?

How many of you can eat just one chip or you may be very full after your meal at the restaurant but you still eat a dessert because someone offered it to you? It is the polite thing to do after all. Or how many cooks will taste their meal as they are preparing it? The seasoning has to be right after all. Sound familiar.

We are sabotaging our lives by not making ourselves aware of these things.

"Once you become aware of the environmental cues that can sabotage your diet, you can react accordingly and make smart decisions," says nutrition expert Susan Moores, RD. “Simple things such as bringing tempting snacks into your house, moving the candy jar at work out of sight, making fruits and vegetables more visible in your refrigerator, and eating more deliberately and slowly, can cut down on overeating and help you lose weight."

Here are some things that are the main saboteurs of our ability to lose weight and even not put it on in the first place.

The smell of frying bacon, the sound of popping corn, the wafting oder of fresh baked apple pie. Who can resist these sounds and smells? We are very influenced by sound and smell. But if we make ourselves aware of what we are doing we can remain in control.

Are You Actually Hungry Or Do You Just Want To Eat?

One of the big problems is that most of us have no idea if we are actually hungry or we just want to eat. And we certainly don't realize we are full and should stop eating. It is a big problem. We are so unaware we have become a nation of obese individuals.

Are you aware of what you are putting in your mouth? One serious problem is distracted eating. This is where you are doing something else while you are eating, watching TV, reading, checking your emails and there is a bag of chips or a bowl of nuts right there for you to eat. You didn't intend to but before you know the bowl or bag is empty. This is eating amnesia.

Avoid Distracted Eating

Also if you must snack while you are distracted. Measure out your proper portion and take that with you. Then you may not remember it but at least you didn't over do it.

It takes 20 minutes from the time you finish eating for you to recognize you are feeling full. So if you start eating more slowly you will start feeling that full feeling with much less that you have eaten. Try tasting your food, recognize that you actually are enjoying it.

Susan Moores, RD says "Eat slowly, taste the food and become more in touch with what you are eating and how it tastes so you can enjoy it more and start to appreciate satisfaction with smaller portions,"

Slow Down – You're Eating Too Fast

We live in a world that is in a hurry. We never have enough time to eat healthy and it is too convenient not to, so why bother? Fast food is the downfall of all our diets. And fast food portion control is nearly unheard of. Super size is a four letter word to a dieter or anyone wishing to eat healthy. Try to limit your visit to your favorite fast food restaurant to once a week and try to choose the healthier items on the menu. Salads, Grilled not fried, and watch the sizing.

Watch Those Portions- Be Aware of How Much You Are Eating

We need to start realizing what a recommended portion actually is. We need to drag out a measuring cup and use it. We need to read on the side of the package. You might be eating 2-4 portions instead of the one you think you are eating. It can be a huge saboteur. Especially with beverages. You might be surprised how many portions are in that soda you are drinking. Pay attention.

We eat way to fast. Like we are in hurry or maybe someone is going to steal it away from you. This is another big problem for our diet. If we eat more slowly and really learn to taste our food and actually enjoy it because we discover it tastes good. We will find ourselves eating less. It takes 20 minutes after you have eaten for your mind to recognize you are full. So if you eat slowly, that twenty minutes will occur with a lot less in you.

Source:

Why am I Fat?