Tag Archives: food temptation

How To Stop Overeating

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We all do it. It’s not a big deal if you only overindulge once in awhile.

I’m reading a book right now that I’m really liking and will report on in the future. In “Younger Next Year,” Chris Crowley and Dr. Henry Lodge say, “A normal American in his fifties or sixties has to get his caloric intake down to roughly 1500 calories to lose weight.” The book is geared toward men, but the implication is that women would need fewer than 1500 calories to lose weight.

If you’ve visited LazyLand before, you probably know I’m all about portion control and knowing how many calories you’re eating, so if you’re stuck in a cycle of regularly eating too many calories, here are some easy tips that might flip that switch for you.

1. Get rid of all the crap food taunting you from your pantry or refrigerator. Throw it out and don’t buy it ever again.

2. But — and I know this seems contradictory — if you’re REALLY craving something, go ahead and give in to it. Because it’s not kept in your house anymore, you have to think long and hard about actually going to buy it. Is it really worth the trip? If it is, that’s fine. But get a single serving of chips rather than the industrial sized bag. Fries off the children’s menu rather than SuperSizing. One perfect brownie at the bakery rather than whipping up a whole pan. (Shameless plug for my Just Desserts Cookbook here … I have some fab low-calorie brownie recipes, if you can resist eating the entire pan.)

3. And then get back on track. One fabulous brownie is not cause for starving yourself or skipping meals as ‘punishment.’ Plan your next week’s healthy meals and make a grocery list full of delicious and nutritious foods.

4. Eat more fruits and veggies. These will fill you up without the corresponding spike in calories. And, oh yeah, they’re good for you!

5. Drink lots of water. I can’t be bothered with counting ounces or even the number of glasses I drink. Your goal is for your pee to be colorless. Every day.

6. Then go get some vigorous exercise. Doesn’t matter what, just go get active. You’ll burn off some calories and you’ll be less interested in mindless snacking.

None of that is too difficult, is it? If you stay on track most of the time, then those little, ahem, dietary transgressions won’t derail you on your journey to good health.

What do you do if you’re tempted to overeat or if you realize too late you just consumed enough food for a family of five?

Hey, Party Girl!

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I’m going to parties this weekend, next weekend, and one the week after that. And that doesn’t include lunch out with my dad, or my brother and nephew coming to town. (Can you say obligatory foray to Casa Bonita? It’s not great food, but they keep bringing you hot-from-the-oven sopapillas. And who doesn’t love raising that cute little flag?! And cliff divers! And Black Bart’s Cave!)

It’s almost impossible to eat right with all that temptation for me, a bear with so very little self-control. I am proud that I’ve never gotten my head stuck in a jar of honey, though, so I guess that’s something. I tend to put myself in the “I eat right most of the time so I don’t worry about the occasional splurge” camp. Problem is, sometimes there are more splurges than eating-right-most-of-the-time times, so I’ve developed some strategies along the way.

First, don’t skip meals to allow for attending a party or some other activity where you think you’ll want to stuff your face. (Which is, of course, the definition of “party,” right?) Instead, eat normally throughout the day. When you get to the party, be as mindful as possible about portions, how the dishes are prepared, and try to assess the calories in everything. Only eat the really spectacular stuff, but think “nibbles” rather than “platefuls.”

Don’t waste your time on the store bought birthday cake with the lard frosting. Instead, go for the good stuff. Shrimp cocktail … homemade dark chocolate truffles … caviar. Nibbles, though. And go slowly, allowing plenty of time between nibbles.

Then relax! Have fun. Move away from the buffet. Talk more than you eat or drink. Meet interesting people. Learn something new about someone you already know. Good parties don’t come around often enough so make the most of them when they do.

And tomorrow? Don’t beat yourself up over whatever transgression(s) you committed at the party. Get back to your 400 healthy calories and make time for a marvelous workout where you recall the funny/stupid/endearing/romantic/fascinating things that happened yesterday.

If you’re really worried about the food that will be served, bring a low-cal dish of something. (Plenty of ideas in the Lazy Low Cal Lifestyle cookbooks! Just sayin …) The hostess will appreciate it and you’ll have insurance there will be something you can eat guilt-free.

Remember, parties aren’t about the food. They’re about the people you get to hang out with.

What was the best party you ever attended? What made it so special? Have you raised that cute little flag at Casa Bonita? Would you like to cliff dive and splash folks who are eating their dinner?