Page 16 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • October 1, 2014 Curb overeating without fighting constant hunger Many people strive to adopt healthier lifestyles. A lifestyle that includes rou- tine exercise and a healthy diet can vastly improve quality of life and reduce a per- son’s risk for various ailments. Though many people find exercise gets easier the more they do it, that is not always the case when people are altering their diet. Adapting to a healthy diet and smaller por- tions is a challenge, and many people find themselves overeating as a result. Some people overeat because they are hungry, while others are simply accustomed to eating large meals. Regardless of why a person overeats, it is important that people looking to adopt healthier lifestyles avoid consuming more food than their bodies need. The following are a few simple ways men and women can curtail their eating habits so they are not going overboard at mealtime. Stay hydrated. Some people overeat because they mistake the symptoms of dehydration for hunger. It is easy to make that mistake, as the symptoms of dehydra- tion mimic those of hunger. For example, when a person is thirsty, his or her mouth is dry. Eating can temporarily relieve dry mouth, but that does not necessarily mean a person’s mouth was dry because he or she was hungry. Instead of immediately responding to perceived hunger symp- toms by eating, drink a glass of water. If the symptoms subside within 10 minutes, the issue was likely dehydration rather than hunger. Staying hydrated by drinking water throughout the day can reduce the likeli- hood of confusing dehydration with hunger, which reduces the risk of overeating. Eat when hungry. The symptoms of hunger tend to present themselves within five hours of eating a balanced meal. Ignor- ing these symptoms is a mistake. The longer one ignores hunger, the less likely he or she is to make healthy choices, includ- ing eating healthy portions, when he or she does eat. Even a low-calorie, healthy snack like Greek yogurt or a piece of fruit four to five hours after a meal can sate the appetite and prevent overeating. Eat breakfast. A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition proved that Mom was right when she told you break- fast was the most important meal of the day. The study examined roughly 900 adults and found that those who ate more carbo- hydrates, fat, and protein in the morning were more likely to eat less over the course of the day than those who saved their big- gest meals for lunch or dinner. Many men and women skip breakfast thanks to hectic mornings dominated by getting the kids ready for school and rushing to work. If time is limited in the morning, keep cereal or instant oatmeal at the office and eat breakfast while catching up on e-mail or planning the workday. Find time for fiber. Fiber is another friend to people who want to stop overeat- ing. The body needs time to process a meal that is rich in fiber, which helps people feel full faster and helps them feel full for longer periods of time. High-fiber foods also tend to be high-volume, so it is easy to fill up without eating lots of calories. That is a benefit to people looking to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. Overeating is a hurdle many people must clear as they attempt to adopt health- ier lifestyles. But a few simple tricks make it easy to avoid overeating without fighting constant feelings of hunger.