15 Ways to Avoid Overeating

1. Eat slowly. Your stomach needs about 20 minutes to realize it's full, so take your time.

2. Use a smaller plate when serving yourself. Visually, it will look like you have more food than what is really there.

3. Portion control. Serve yourself one portion and don't go back for seconds.

4. Hide the food. Remove all visible food from your kitchen or work area except during scheduled meal times. Keep it put away so that you don't want to eat it when you walk past it. The only exception would be fruits and vegetables that don't need to be refrigerated.

5. Variety. Eat a wide variety of foods daily so that you don't feel deprived.

6. Spice up your food. Using lots of spices in your food dishes will help satisfy your hunger.

7. Drink a glass of water before a meal. This will also help to fill you up. Continue with the water during the meal.

8. Choose foods with high fiber and protein, but are low in fat and calories. The fiber and protein will help you feel fuller longer.

9. Always eat breakfast and don't skip meals. If you are overly hungry at a meal, you are more likely to overeat. Eat on a regular schedule of every 3-4 hours and you can avoid overeating altogether.

10. Stop eating when you feel full. This is a biggy and I still struggle with it today.

11. Keep busy between meals. Many of us overeat because we are bored. Staying active will help keep your mind off food.

12. Get enough sleep. This may sound strange, but we are more likely to eat foods that are high in carbohydrates and calories and that will give us a temporary boost of energy, when we are tired. So avoid that trap and get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each and every night.

13. If you are an emotional eater, deal with those issues by talking with a professional, if necessary. Sometimes, all you need to do is become of aware of it, but if you have deeper issues like depression, then they really need to be dealt with by a counselor or psychiatrist.

14. Educate yourself by reading food labels. You will be surprised at what a serving actually is once you start reading them. Compare the volume of food with the actual calories, fat, and fiber content and start making smarter choices.

15. Stick with foods that are not processed. Whole foods like vegetables, fruits, fresh lean meats, fish, nuts, seeds and whole grains are generally lower in calories and will keep you fuller longer. Avoid convenience foods as they tend to have more calories for smaller portions. If you can't pronounce what is on the nutrition label, then don't eat it.