How to Know if You Are Overeating

Cartoons often portray chubby characters as people who want nothing more than to sit down with a steaming pile of pasta and a tasty plate of cookies, but real-life overeaters are not always overweight. While many people who overeat are overweight, it is possible for thin people to struggle with compulsive eating. Compulsive overeating, sometimes called binge eating, is considered an eating disorder with devastating long-term affects. Just as anorexia and bulimia can cause health problems, overeating can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, lowered self esteem, weight gain and even insomnia.

Instructions

• 1

  Examine your eating habits. If you reward yourself with food for an accomplishment or good behavior, spend large amounts of your time thinking about food, or if you hide food from other people, you might be overeating. Compulsive overeaters sometimes eat food in private so others don't see how often or how much they are eating. Some people who overeat even store food in private places, such as under the bed or in a closet.

• 2

  Pay attention to your hunger levels while you eat. At some point during your meal, you will begin to feel satisfied. This is the appropriate time to stop eating, as your body is letting you know it has had enough. If you continue to eat past this point, you might be overeating. Remember that you don't have to eat everything on your plate in an effort to reduce food waste, and eating everything in front of you actually can lead to overeating.

• 3

  Reign in your thoughts. If you spend much of your free time fantasizing about food, such as thinking about your next meal or a special food you're craving, you might be addicted to food. Focus on other things to reduce your desire for food, and minimize your cravings. For example, if you begin to think about food too much, try to read a book, go on a walk or play a game to minimize your obsession with eating.

• 4

  Place a clock nearby when you sit down to eat. Watch how quickly you eat your meal. Quickly clearing your plate is a common sign of over indulgence in food. Eating quickly is often a long-term habit that can be broken through patience and determination. The next time you eat, watch the clock and try to eat more slowly. Take a bite and chew it several times before you swallow. Sip water between each bite. Put your fork down between each bite in an effort to slow yourself down.