During this unprecedented time, we are finding ourselves sitting or working a lot closer to our kitchens and in particular the fridge. All of a sudden, we have this overwhelming feeling to keep eating snacks, meals, drinks etc. which are easy on the go food while we work and provide us with a break.
Below are 5 ways help combat the binge and aid us into a more regimented routine: Planning meals Getting into a routine of planning what you are going to eat throughout the day is going to give you a great head start in combatting the eating binge. If you have set out your daily intake when you get out of bed, you know exactly what you are going to be eating and when, getting you into a readiness state of mind. If you don’t have a plan in place, you are more likely to get into a poor routine and go to the fridge or cupboard and grab an unhealthy snack or quick fix meal. A great way to help plan your meals is by tracking your food through the means of food diaries or even better apps such as MyFitnessPal. With these apps, they already have set out for you the meals throughout the day such as breakfast, lunch and even snacks, all you need to do is in put at the start of the day what you are going to be eating so you can see how your day looks. Being present when you eat Sitting down at your table, moving away your laptops or mobile phones are simple ways to bring focus to your food at meal times. Keeping attention on your meals rather than a second object, will help to counteract the binge. It is too easy to be sitting down on the couch binge-watching Netflix or working away on your computer and before you know it you have eaten a full share bag of crisps. It's time to bring back the sacred time of eating at the table. Little and often This can be really helpful if you are someone who eats 3 meals per day (morning, lunch and evening) but is struggling to control the binge. If this is the case, you might want to think amount eating little and often, or in other words smaller meals but more frequently throughout the day to keep you topped up for longer. This will avoid you running down to empty and refilling to the top. If you are looking at a day which starts at 7:00 am for example, you would be wanting to eat every 3 hours to get your 5 meals in for that day. Stay hydrated Drinking lots of water throughout the day is a simple yet effective way to curb cravings and stop overeating. Increasing water intake is associated with decreased calorie consumption and less hunger. Drinking plenty of water all day long can boost metabolism and aid in weight loss. You should be drinking consistently throughout the day rather than waiting until you feel thirsty to then have a drink. Write a shopping list Creating a shopping list before going to the shops is going to be a massive help. If you are simply going to the supermarkets, walking up and down the food isles looking for food that jumps out as ‘EAT ME’, you are setting yourself up to fail. Before going to stock your cupboards, write a list of foods you know you need to last you the week or until your next shop. If you have planned ahead and roughly know what you are going to be eating throughout the week, this will make your job a lot easier. A lot of the above all comes down to being accountable for what and when you are eating. The best way to keep accountable is through the use of food trackers (food diary, apps). If you are tracking your intake wither this is through a meal or a snack throughout the day, you can start to paint a picture of times when you might reach for the cupboards or fridge for food. Seeing this you can start to eliminate the poor food and replace this with nutritious food which will help to combat the cravings. **PLAN, MAKE, EAT** Stu Dolman
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