One way to prevent a recurrence of
overeating is to identify situations that
cause you trouble. Consider what your
eating triggers might be, and plot
strategies to overcome them.
Time of day
Are there certain times of the day when
you’re more susceptible to overeating?
Maybe you do well in the mornings and
afternoons but have a tough time with food
cravings in the evenings. Or, perhaps, in
that lull between lunch and dinner, you get
a strong, uncontrollable urge to snack.
Emotions
Food is a common response to a negative
mood. Do you find that certain feelings
cause you to snack mindlessly? Do you
tend to eat when you’re bored, lonely,
depressed, stessed or anxious?
Activities
Do you find that you eat more when doing
certain activities? Is reading the
newspaper or sitting at the computer
without food in hand a problem for you? Do
you find yourself constantly snacking while
watching television or preparing a meal? Is
food how you deal with activities that you
don’t enjoy, such as paying bills or doing
homework?
Social situations
Have you noticed that you eat more when
you’re around certain people? Maybe it’s a
good friend who likes to go out to eat or
frequently invites you over for coffee and a
“little snack.” Maybe it’s when your partner
gets the nibbles, and you eat, too.
Foods
Do you find that you just can’t eat some
foods in moderation, such as ice cream,
chocolate, or chips and salsa? Does the
smell of pancakes and sausage or fresh
cookies from the oven cause you to
completely forget about your eating plan?
Physical factors
Does how you feel cause you to overeat?
If you skip breakfast, do hunger pangs
cause you to lose control of your eating.
When you're fatigued, do you turn to junk
food for energy? Do you use food to help
distract you from chronic pain?
