Are You Overeating?

Let’s be honest, it’s easy to overeat.
Food tastes great and its everywhere! During the holidays we are surrounded by food and most people even put on extra weight. But could you be overeating most days? ​

Most people think of overeating as something that only happens during the holidays. But overeating is not as dramatic as eating until we can’t button our pants, (think Thanksgiving dinner), or some other holiday. Overeating is indulging in more than we need, or eating until we are full, rather than eating until we have gotten the nutrients we need. 

Most people report over indulging during the holidays, but most of us consume far more than we need daily.

We live in a time when we have almost unlimited access food.
Hurray! Food is affordable and good-tasting, and there are immense quantities of it. In fact we are bombarded by commercials, ads and offers for food 24 hours a day. We are literally surround by food.

Eating habits have changed since grandmother's time.
We do not have the natural constraints our ancestors did to prevent us from overeating. In evolutionary terms, most humans could not over eat, as large-scale agriculture and food processing generally were not available until fairly recently. Food and how we consume it changed dramatically 40 years ago. Currently, most humans and certainly Americans, have access to more food than ever before.​

What are the consequences of eating too much? 
Short term we might have a mild stomach ache. But in the long term there are many health risks associated with chronic obesity. Left untreated, compulsive overeating can lead to serious medical conditions, including: high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension (high blood-pressure), major depression, kidney disease, arthritis, bone deterioration and stroke.

(Plus other medical issues.)

What drives us to eat more than we need? 
One reason is the emotional connection to food many people have. Research has shown that many people tend to eat more or overeat when they are feeling sad, depressed, or struggling with an issue or trauma.

A study in the Journal of Adolescent Health, researched the eating habits of adolescents, some of whom eventually developed eating disorders like binge eating. The primary information they found with these results indicate that it is important to consider depressive symptoms in overeating. One of the primary signs that we may be eating too much is to monitor the reason for eating. Are we eating because we are hungry, or because of an emotional issue?

Another consideration is symptoms of Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. An article from the Medical University of Warsaw stated that Hypoglycemic symptoms can lead people to eat more in order to satisfy urges to increase insulin. Which is another reason to practice moderation when eating sweets and address what we are actually consuming.

How to tell if you are overeating?
Listen to your body.  Excessive constipation, blockage, bloating, vomiting, diarrhea or stomach aches are your body giving you feedback and warning signals that it has had enough. More often than not, if you feel a constant need for laxatives or antacids it is most likely your body telling you that you have taken in far more food than you need. ​

Additionally, your bodies energy level and mental alertness are also important clues. If you feel fatigued or sleepy after meals this could be another reason to edit your diet. 

While we all enjoy a finely cooked meal or delicious snacks, in reality food is simply fuel for our bodies. Put simply, we consume food and turn it into energy. It’s important to remember when we bog our system down with excess fuel or fuel of poor quality, (junk food), our energy will decrease, we will feel sluggish and less alert. Overeating can actually decrease our energy levels and we end up feeling worse. This often happens due to an overloaded digestion system and poor food choices.

Learn to listen to your body and know the signals that you have had enough to eat. Beware of emotional eating and practice mindfulness to combat stress. The signs are there, we just need to listen to what our bodies are telling us.

If you are ready to feel better, get off the rollercoaster of “diets” and get back in balance again, why not schedule a fact finding call? We can build a healthy eating plan based on your lifestyle and offer support along the way, with a time tested nutritional/wellness plan. 


Speak soon,
Sarah