1. Notice why you eat. We all eat for different reasons—not just to nourish our body. It’s okay to find a certain degree of comfort in a perfectly-baked brownie. Just become aware that you do. Notice if you connect food—or certain types of food—with memories or feelings.
2. Recognize. Identify anxiety, worries, and lingering stress for what they really are, rather than trying to interpret them as hunger that can be solved with food.
3. Fill up on the good stuff. Aim to fill half your dish with vegetables, a quarter with whole grains, and a quarter with healthy lean protein.
4. Prevention is key. Add stress management techniques such as yoga and meditation to your life. They are just as important—and some would say more important than—counting calories, since recent research has shown that extra stress can lead to extra weight.
5. Choose the right carbs. Some carbs will send your blood sugar spiraling up or down and the stress-related fight-or-flight hormone cortisol into high alert. Learning how to choose the right carbohydrates will help you decrease stress—and the likelihood of weight gain.
6. Drink more water. Studies show that if you drink a glass of water before eating, you’re less likely to overeat. Plus, there are about a hundred other benefits to drinking lots of the good stuff—including beautifying ones. Water helps battle hunger, keep cells and digestive and metabolism systems working properly, and washes away toxins. Add lemon to stimulate digestion—a great idea first thing in the morning.
7. Craving control. When a craving hits, respond not with guilt and avoidance, but with a nutritious, delicious snack. Healthy snacking keeps your metabolism up and your cravings down, and when mealtime comes you will be less likely to binge on too much (or unhealthy) food.
8. Hunger helper. Stay tuned into your hunger. Learn to eat when you are actually hungry. For you that may mean three regular meals or three to six smaller meals, plus a few healthy snacks.
