Weight Loss Journal

Trying to map out a new health plan can be difficult, especially when you are used to overeating on a regular basis. Many of us don't even realize just how much we eat and how this can affect our bodies. The key to weight loss is the simple formula of calories in - calories burned. If you're taking in too many calories, you're just not going to lose weight the healthy way.

Learning how not to overeat can be a difficult process, especially if you have been used to it for many years. Your stomach is pretty much trained that it needs a set amount of food and when it doesn't get that amount, it sends out signals to your brain that you're hungry.

In order to stop overeating, you're going to need to employ a process with a few different techniques. It may take awhile to completely retrain yourself, but it is possible. Don't get discouraged and keeping moving forward, even if you end up falling off the wagon. It's only a disaster if you don't get back on.

Let's look at a few ways that you can start training yourself to avoid overeating.  Personally, I went with 1-3 until I had figured out my diet and even now continue to rely on number 2.

1. Keep a log of absolutely everything you eat from the moment you get up to the moment you go to bed.

Don't forget to log what you drink as well. Sometimes, just seeing everything on paper is enough to make you realize how much you are eating. Talk with your doctor or nutritionist to see how many calories you really need, and then compare the two. Chances are, you're probably consuming more calories than you thought.

2. Start using smaller plates.

Even if it's only for your meal and not the rest of your family's, studies have shown that smaller plates really do help when it comes to weight loss. Eat only what is on that plate and avoid going back for seconds. You'll get that mental feeling of having cleared your plate, but it will be with much less food than you normally get. If you have difficulty with portion control, this technique can really make the difference.

3. Get a food scale.

It's tough to know how big a portion should be and having a food scale around really makes it easier. Chances are, what you thought was one serving is probably closer to two. It can seem a little frustrating and quite a bit crazy at first to weigh everything you eat, but after the first week or so it will become old hat.

4. Allow yourself your favorite foods, but cut back on their size.

In some cases, overeating is triggered by the feeling of being deprived. Instead of quitting all of your favorite foods cold turkey, allow yourself to eat them, but in much smaller quantities. If this is still a problem, try replacing these foods with similar versions that are lower in calories. There are new snacks that are packaged into 100 calories packs that are very similar to popular desserts and these can really help in this situation.

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If you're living a stressful life and wondering why those pounds keep creeping on, there is scientific evidence that has proven that stress can actually make you fat. The good news is that there are many ways you can combat stress and start getting healthy. But first, let's look at why stress can cause you to gain weight.

1. Stress releases hormones that allow us to store fat more efficiently.

Storing fat is a bad thing for many of us, and although it's necessary to some degree, stress causes our systems to go a little haywire and we start producing too much cortisol. This causes our bodies to retain fat around the middle, which is not only unsightly, but incredibly unhealthy. Since most of us live with stress on a daily basis, we're producing far too much cortisol and this is leading to weight gain.

2. Stress interferes with sleep - which causes more weight gain.

Recent studies have also shown that a lack of sleep can lead to weigh gain, once again thanks to hormones that run amok in our systems. Even if you're not feeling stressed, your body is and it's reacting by producing more hormones. When we are physically stressed, our whole body tightens up and our minds start racing. It's pretty hard to get enough sleep when you feel like this and we get trapped into a vicious cycle that is very hard to break. Stress piles on more stress and pretty soon, those pounds starting coming on.

3. Stress causes emotional eating.

While some people respond to stress with a reduced appetite, by far the majority end up eating to combat their stress levels. Whether it's increased snacking simply because we feel so edgy or emotional eating of comfort food, stress is a major reason that many of us overeat. When combined with the factors above, you've got a recipe for disaster.

But there is a way to change all of that and break the stress cycle. While you'll never be able to remove all stress from your life, there are ways that you can combat it and break free of that cycle.

First, you need to learn to realize when you're feeling stressed out. As soon as that feeling creeps up, you'll need to learn to take deep breaths to counteract what your body is telling your brain and vice versa. Practice deep inhalations and exhalations until they become second nature.

Next, you'll need to learn to start treating your body right instead of abusing it, which only makes stress worse. If you're having a rough time or a bad week, schedule a massage. It will do wonders for your mind and your body. If you're feeling overworked, take a personal day and do absolutely nothing. You'll be able to recharge and get back on track.

Little changes add up when it comes to beating stress in your life. While it is difficult to address what causes stress in our lives, we can change the way we respond to it.

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