Tips for all of us.

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Here are some tips to change this pattern:
1. Keep an eating and emotion journal. Building awareness of what we are doing is key, and keeping a journal of our behavior is one of the best ways to do this. When you are not physically hungry but have an urge to eat, note the reason and what was going on at the time (Did someone say something that offended you? Were you bored? Were you at home? With friends?). The more you do this, the more you will be able to look for patterns.
2. Rate your hunger. In the same journal, rate your level of hunger before and after you eat (1=starving, 5 = neutral, 10 = stuffed) to see how hungry you are before and after meals and snacks. Ideally, you should be hungry, but not starving (about a 2-4 rating) before meals, and “satisfied” (about a 6-8 rating) after meals. Try to avoid getting to a 1 or a 10 if you can.
3. Make your meal plan work for you. Many people do not realize that they may feel “always hungry” simply because of the pattern of eating or the types of foods they are eating. Are you having some lean protein at most meals and snacks? Are you consuming high sugar, high carbohydrate, or highly processed foods regularly? If so, you may be creating what is often referred to as a food addiction, and simply cutting out these foods for 2-3 weeks could drastically reduce your cravings.
4. Make your environment work for you. You don’t have control over how food is advertised and how many fast food places exist in your town/city, but you do have control over:
What foods and portion sizes you bring into your home
What places you drive by on your commute (can change routes if it’s really hard to not stop at that Taco Bell)
What is on your counters at home (keep healthy foods ready and in sight; keep sugary refined foods out of sight!)
The size of your serving dishes (smaller dishes make people serve and eat less without realizing it)
5. Meet the needs that food was trying to meet. This is perhaps the most important. Remember, your brain is trying to get something good for you by telling you to eat those cookies. What is it? Comfort? Relief from boredom? Excitement? Fun? Relaxation? Distraction? Whatever the need, there are other activities or things that can and will meet that need, especially with practice. I know it does not seem like doing a crossword could really replace those cookies, but with enough time, our brains adjust and learn to get reward and enjoyment from other things. Be creative, try a few new activities, be patient, and keep an open mind. Make sure you really pat yourself on the back every time you resist an old craving or habit and know that each time you do something non-food related, you are making it easier for you to keep doing this long-term.
6. Try stress-eating mindfully. Next time you want to eat when you are not hungry, do so slowly and mindfully. Sit down at a table, take the food, and observe its smell and texture. Put it in your mouth and chew painfully slowly, and see what you think. Practice enjoying it without guilt and see how that feels. How does it change the experience?