Ever consider the reasons why you overeat? Usually, most of us harp on the terrible physical and emotional feelings after we went overboard on those nachos or that chocolate cake , but rarely do we examine why we overate in the first place. The reasons why you overeat are pretty nuanced and depend on the person and the situation. If you overeat from time to time and are trying to kick the habit, make sure you’re not overeating for any of these reasons.
One of the most common reasons why you overeat is boredom. How many times have you sat home alone on a rainy Friday night completely bored out or your mind? While you binge on episodes of House of Cards on Netflix, you might also be tempted to binge on some ice cream, chips, or both! Many women eat when they’re bored and it’s a pretty normal fiasco. Mitigate this by finding things other than food to keep you busy when you have down time. One of my favorite things to do when I’m bored but really want to overeat is to paint my nails. I don’t care what you say, but there’s no way chips or fries taste good with a side of OPI.
There are millions of American women who are chronically tired from a lack of sleep or suffering from some sort of sleep disorder. And when you’re sleep deprived, two sneaky little hormones named leptin and gherlin can actually make you hungrier! These hormones play total Jedi mind tricks on you, causing you to overeat and ultimately gain weight. To keep these hormones in check, make sure you get 7-9 hours of sleep every night. If it means saying no to a last minute assignment at work or putting the kids to bed a little earlier, do what you need to do to get your rest.
Everyone loves a girls’ night. From the drinks to the food to the club, it’s always good to kick back with your friends and have a drama-free night. But do you ever feel pressure to eat poorly with your friends or keep up with them drink for drink? Often it’s the pressure from our peers and friends that can cause us to overeat. Remember that no one is keeping track of whether you’ve had one or three cosmos. They also won’t care if you ditch the fries in place of a salad.
Don’t take what I’m about to say as an insult. Chances are one of the reasons you could be overeating is because you don’t feel like making real, wholesome food and instead settle for eating an entire bag of chips for dinner while you watch reruns of Grey’s Anatomy. Put down the junk food and the remote and cook yourself something good! Healthy food doesn’t need to be complicated. Baked chicken breasts, steamed brown rice, and broccoli sautéed in a little olive oil and garlic can easily be made in less than 30 minutes.
A common reason you could overeat is because you’re sad or upset. We all know that moment when we break up with a guy and drown our sorrows in a pint of ice cream. It’s normal to want to turn to food when you’ve had a bad day at work or a fight with a loved one. But instead of engaging in an unhealthy behavior like overeating, try a much more therapeutic solution like calling a friend to vent or writing things out in a journal. These solutions are far more soothing and cathartic than overeating, which might make you feel better at first but will actually make things worse.
Some people don’t overeat when they’re sad, but rather when they’re happy. Many celebrations like weddings, birthdays, and other parties usually have a ton of food. And what better way to celebrate than to enjoy a bunch of yummy dishes and treats, right? Unfortunately, this is not the way to approach food at a party of social gathering. As easy as it is to get caught up in the celebration, ask yourself if you’re eating something because you’re genuinely hungry or because you’ve been consumed by celebration and the party.
After an exhausting day at work, sometimes all we want to do is lay down, turn on the TV, and enjoy some of our favorite foods. Whether it’s a frozen pizza or a burger and fries, often we try to reward ourselves with food after a hectic and overwhelming day. Eating like this might make you feel better at first, but it’s only going to lead to a bunch of health problems, not to mention a heaping side of guilt and self-loathing. If you really want to reward yourself after a stressful day, make it a non-food treat like some new clothes or a massage.
There are plenty of reasons why women overeat. As soon as you identify your triggers and figure out what’s making you overeat, you’ll be able to break this bad habit much easier. What are some of the reasons you find yourself overeating?