Five Overeating Triggers That Can Make You Fat

Despite how easily we can pack on the pounds when we're not paying attention, weight gain doesn't just happen. It involves innumerable decisions and actions, and though many are small and seemingly insignificant, they do add up. That extra bite of food to clean your plate. That dessert ordered even though you were already full. Those handfuls of chips noshed down while reading the mail.

How do you stop yourself from giving in to impulse? One of the keys, experts say, is to be aware of the environment triggers that cause you to feel the desire to eat or keep eating after you're full.

Here are five environmental factors you should watch out for:

1) Food is everywhere

It's difficult for those of us living in the modern Western world to imagine that food ever was a scarcity. Everywhere we look, we see restaurants, convenience stores, grocers and vending machines -- all winking at us with bright alluring lights. It's no better at home. Today's families keep a wide variety of foods on hand to meet different tastes and occasions. This makes snacking all too easy. At home, the trick is to move foods out of sight to eliminate unnecessary temptation. Away from home, work at curbing your instinct to feel hungry at the sight and smell of restaurants and other food outlets.

2) Convenience and low cost

Back to those fast food restaurants. They make it so easy. You can find one on every corner, and you're in and out in no time. Plus, there's no thinking involved. Just take combo No.1. The good news is that most fast food restaurants now offer healthy menu choices. You might have difficulty eliminating fast food from your diet completely, but you cut down the frequency of your visits and improve the food choices you make.

3) Super-sized portions

We all like to get value for our money. Restaurants know this and are happy to serve up large portions if it keeps us coming back. Try bringing a measuring cup along to see whether the meal your waiter brings you meets your weight loss plan requirements. Also, choose foods that are low in calorie content, so large portions won't do as much damage to your diet, and eat slowly so you fill up before finishing your meal.

4) Plate control

Researchers say plate size has an influence on our dining. The bigger the plate, the more we tend to eat. No doubt it's all in our heads, but the food still winds up in our stomachs. The solution to this one is easy: use smaller plates.

5) Selection

As the saying goes, our eyes can be bigger than our stomachs. If there are numerous food choices in front of us, we want to sample one of everything we think we'll like. The result: too much food on our plates. That's why dieters are encouraged to avoid buffets. If you find yourself facing down a table-full of options, try sticking to foods that are low in calories and rich in nutrients. Fill up on those first, and the temptation to try the less healthy foods won't be so great.

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