Reasons for Overeating

If you have ever polished off an entire bag of chips or accidentally emptied a whole container of chocolate ice cream by yourself, you have overeaten at some point in your life. The good news is that you are not alone. The bad news is that overeating may lead to weight problems and a long list of health concerns, especially when done frequently. Recognize the reasons behind overeating and take necessary steps to reduce the likelihood of future occurrences.

Mindless Eating

• Attempting to multitask while eating is a common cause for overindulging according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you combine eating with another activity, such as watching television or browsing the Internet, your attention is divided. In the process, you may not realize how much you are actually eating or whether or not you are even hungry anymore.

Eating Disorder

• In some cases, overeating is a factor of a mental disorder that leads to binge eating, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Those who suffer from a binge-eating disorder experience recurring episodes in which they consume food in a seemingly out-of-control manner. The experience leads to guilt and shame, which in turn results in more binge eating.

Skipping Meals

• When you skip a meal, your stomach is forced to function on empty for long periods of time. The signs are obvious: audible rumbling noises, abdominal discomfort or hunger pangs, a general feeling of agitation and even nausea in extreme cases. Failing to eat in frequent intervals may lead to overeating when you do take the time to sit down to a meal, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Stress

• If the events in your life are overwhelming and leading to a build-up of stress and anxiety, you may sometimes turn to food as a means of dealing with frustration. Kim Beardsmore, weight loss expert and author of the online magazine Weight Loss Health, states that chocolates and carbohydrates assist the production of serotonin, which results in increased feelings of happiness. If you find yourself turning to the comfort of sweet or starchy food during times of stress, this is why.

Eating Out

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that many restaurants serve food in larger portions than one person should eat over the course of one meal. Those who are accustomed to eating out and have adjusted their appetite to the larger portions of restaurants may continually overeat without even realizing it.

Getting Over an Addiction

• When you give up smoking or some other addiction, the craving does not simply go away. Although you are mentally committed to quitting, your body still expects the treatment to which it has grown accustomed. For people giving up these addictions, particularly of the oral variety, eating is an effective way to curb the temptation by keeping your hands and mouth otherwise occupied.