How Can One Prevent Overeating?

We cannot consume too much food, nor should we consume too little. In fact, we are searching for the perfect balance in the amount of food we consume in order to feel good, be free from diseases, and be physically fit. This ideal body weight and composition are the result of a balance between the amount of calories consumed and burned. Our body is a mechanism of homeostasis that aims to maintain this balance.

Excessive body mass, i.e. obesity, can affect both an athlete and an average mortal. The lean physique of an athlete can give the impression that the problem of obesity does not concern him. However, in a sport in which the winner is determined by fractions and centimeters of a second, even a slightly too high level of body fat can make a difference. Excessive body mass in the form of fat can be disadvantageous in almost any sporting discipline. It is a burden, an additional burden for the working muscles. Excess body fat leads to faster fatigue, reduced speed, lower height or length of the jump. Athletes often have less problems with obesity than other people, thanks to their training routine. They are used to almost daily trainings, so their energy expenses are high, which facilitates achieving a negative energy balance and losing unwanted body mass. The greatest difficulties can arise after the end of the career, also temporarily, for example, as a result of an injury that limits their physical activity, or in a transitional period, when they reduce the volume and intensity of trainings. Since they consume a lot of energy during intense trainings, they must also replenish it in comparable amounts. They are used to large amounts of food, and this routine often becomes a problem for them when they consume less energy.

An extreme level of fatness, also known as obesity, is a higher percentage of body fat compared to total body weight. In some cases, such as Sumo wrestlers, it is not only possible to reach a weight of over 115 kg through muscle growth, but also a higher level of fat tissue can be beneficial. Obesity is defined as a higher percentage of body fat in relation to total body weight. There are many tables and indicators from which we can read our limit point, where we end up overweight and begin obesity. Obesity can lead to a number of serious health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, gallstones, and certain types of cancer. Overweight individuals often have difficulty regulating their body temperature and are at a higher risk of heat stroke. Obesity is considered a disease and its occurrence is often linked to genetics.

The human body should be regarded as a whole. Genetic factors as well as the conditions for the development of fat cells in the early years of life often reflect in an individual's mental life. Persistent and unusual food cravings are known as bulimia nervosa, a psychosomatic disorder. There are short periods of excessive eating, often high-calorie, and nighttime meals. There are also often drastic attempts to lose weight by restricting meals, inducing vomiting, fasting, or other methods of weight control. Symptoms of bulimia also occur in sports, particularly those where a slim figure is expected and there are weight classes. Some athletes use inadequate methods to achieve their desired body weight, such as vomiting after meals, laxatives, or even thermoregulation before competitions, which can lead to disturbances in the water-electrolyte balance, the acid-base balance, thermoregulation, and heart function. The described reasons and methods for weight control can be considered pathological and require medical intervention and help, but most cases of weight management, obesity, and overeating are within the capabilities of the affected person and can be managed with conventional and healthy methods.

In order to achieve the optimal body weight for the body, we need to identify the causes of our behavior. The first step should be to understand the reason for our overeating, which lies in our mind, particularly in our low level of awareness when we're hungry. In such moments, we're vulnerable to the temptation of eating even when we're not hungry, and we can use our eating habits as a form of therapy or develop a specific metaprogram. It's crucial to recognize the state in which we know that it's time to eat. We should take into account our inner feelings and pay attention to our body to find out when we're really hungry. Athletes sometimes have to break these rules by consuming energy before training, but they should always be aware of their body sensations. We can work with our mind in a context-dependent manner, depending on the topics that concern us. There are many contexts that can lead us to overeat, and they can overlap. Therefore, working on ourselves requires patience, planning, and dealing with individual problems until we're finally able to control our eating habits.

Your craving for sweets is caused by microorganisms. These are the various bacterial strains that inhabit your digestive system and form the gut flora. Your desire for your favorite treats is caused by a certain group of these microorganisms. Other bacterial colonies are indifferent towards these treats. The goal is to develop these others within your body. Microorganisms send the appropriate signals to the brain, which guides the human. If you eat too much, and the basis is sweet treats, you have many bacterial strains that give you the feeling of doing something good. If you replace unhealthy treats with healthy food, you not only reduce their amount and calories, but also develop a new bacterial flora. Your craving for sweets, carbonated drinks, ice cream, cakes, and cookies disappears, and you get an appetite for healthy foods. It is enough to start doing it, as you did with the faucet. When you turn on the faucet, the water flows. If you do not turn on the faucet, the water does not flow.

What you eat and how much of it you eat matters to your body. If you consume products containing only sugar, your body will not receive the necessary nutrients. Even if you are certain that you are consuming all the necessary nutrients, consuming only one type of product can lead to deficiencies. Carbohydrates with a high glycemic index, such as sugar, lead to a sudden increase in blood sugar levels, which results in the release of insulin and the possibility of storing energy in the form of fat tissue. Sudden changes in blood sugar levels can lead to recurring feelings of hunger and overeating. If you want to feel full, you need to maintain a constant blood sugar level, which you can achieve by selecting the right foods and avoiding sudden changes in blood sugar levels. Instead, choose snacks containing proteins and healthy fats in addition to carbohydrates, which will slow down the rate of carbohydrate absorption and reduce the risk of a sudden increase in blood sugar levels.

Plan your meals in advance and prepare them ahead of time to minimize the risk of overeating. If you travel often, bring along healthy food. Prepare yourself for the meal. Spend time preparing meals (you can prepare more healthy meals and keep them in the fridge or freeze them) to avoid unnecessary eating habits and sweets that are hard to give up. Regarding sweets, if you cannot go without them at first, eat them only as a dessert after a planned, healthy meal. You will eat less of them. Eliminate sweet snacks as well. Replace them with well-balanced options. Plan those as well. Start consciously choosing the food that nourishes you. If the choice of food and its quantity is made by someone else for you, it's time to change that. If you can improve favorite family meals, do it! Start making decisions about yourself by saying a decisive "No" when your parents try to persuade you to a fourth serving. Ultimately, you can discreetly exchange dinner plates at home. Buy smaller plates and convince your fellow diners. Less on the plate does not mean less nutritious. You can always prepare a meal where you eat less and nourish yourself better. Allocate time for the meal. Be wise at mealtime. Turn off the TV. Focus on what enters your mouth. Chew each bite and eat slowly. You will consume fewer calories. Eating in a hurry usually results in overeating. We do not control the stop signal at that time, and the moment when we are full escapes our notice. If you have eaten too much, you have failed to eat less again, do not worry about it. Be assertive if you fail, do not give up. Wait an hour or two and then do a series of push-ups, go for a run or bike ride. Burn excess calories and do not give up. Prepare yourself for success at the next meal.