#one. Take 10 deep breaths.
Inhale and fill your chest with air, and exhale with an even slow rhythm. If you’re in public, you can do it subtly and still give yourself time to pause and breathe. Then, go back to eating if you want, but be aware of whether you really want more or not.
Inhaling with a large, deep breath and exhaling with a slow, measured rhythm causes you to pause for a moment to acknowledge your breath. This pause opens up a space for awareness of what you are doing instead of eating bite after bite without realizing that you have just finished the entire plate. Once you are aware, you can decide if you really want to continue or not, and why.
#two. Play a game with yourself: chew each bite 20 times.
Chewing your food and counting not only helps you focus on what you’re eating, it slows you down to prolong the pleasure of eating. Why not prolong the flavor as long as possible?
#3. Drink a full glass of water between rooster and rooster.
This will certainly fill you up fast. Even if you don’t drink an entire glass, putting down your fork to take a few sips will break the fork-to-mouth autopilot mode.
#4. Be honest by asking “What happens right now if I stop doing it?”
Would you feel stripped of pleasure? Angry, disappointed? Or victorious and proud? Imagine the scenario and what you would do. Then imagine how you would feel an hour later if you stopped short of going overboard.
Simply pausing for a moment to consider the outcome can build your urge to stop. While it may not be easy to stop eating when you’re in the middle, knowing that you have the ability to make a choice is empowering.
#5. If you’re alone, get naked and see how long you keep eating.
The discomfort of all this can be enough to make your brain stop.
#6. Keep a notepad nearby.
When you are eating or plan to eat more, write down a list of at least 20 reasons why you should keep eating. This gives you perspective and awareness of what you are doing and how you are justifying it.
#7. Take your food and sit somewhere where you don’t normally eat.
Maybe it’s on your living room floor, in a guest bedroom, in your backyard, etc. Going to a different place keeps your attention focused on the present instead of falling into the familiar pattern.
These tips are ways to “joke” yourself awake and aware of what you’re doing, so you can choose if you really want to keep eating or if you’re ready to stop. You can remind yourself that you can always come back to it later. “Wake up” to what you are doing and make the decision to continue or not puts you in power.
