How Do I Break My Overeating Cycle? 24 Ways to Stop Eating When You’re Full

Overeating is a habit that can lead to complex problems. Ways to stop eating when you're full include learning about portions and nutrition and other strategies.

Overeating is a habit that can lead to complex problems. Like any negative habit, it can be hard to shed if you don’t know how to stop overeating. 

1. Learn about portions

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute has slideshows and quizzes to demonstrate how portion sizes have changed. You might be surprised to find that portions nowadays are much bigger than they should be.

Learning about proper portion sizes in conjunction with your nutrition plan can help you identify how much food is too much. 

2. Learn about your ideal nutrition plan

Overeating is eating more than you need, but how much food do you actually need? Factors like age, sex, and activity level affect the nutrients you need.

Check out the USDA’s MyPlate program to learn about your ideal nutrition plan. 

3. Critically read nutrition labels

The nutrition facts labels on your food are meant to educate you on the nutritional quality of the food. But you can’t trust them blindly. 

Serving sizes aren’t an indicator of what you should eat. They tell you what portion size people typically eat and what’s contained in a serving.

Use protein, fats, and carbohydrates indicators to determine your ideal serving size. 

4. Create the environment you need

If you’re trying to keep from overeating, make getting seconds or snacks inconvenient. Put healthier foods in the front, store junk food down the hall, and keep your tools accessible.

5. Invest in the right tools

Overeating can cause many problems, so invest in appropriate containers, cooking supplies, cookbooks, and healthy ingredients to help you eat the right way. 

6. Make it yourself

It’s easy to overeat bags of chips or sleeves of cookies, but it’s not as easy if you have to make them all yourself.

Add barriers to overeating by making everything at home. You’ll be less inclined to mindlessly snack if you have to bake the cookies first — but they’ll be healthier than the packaged stuff if you do. 

7. Plate your food deliberately

When you’re eating at home, serve your food on smaller, individual plates. Put away the leftovers or serving dishes once you serve your portion so you aren’t tempted to go back for seconds.

8. Don’t multitask and eat

Many people sit in front of the TV to eat their meals, but that can make it easy to overeat. If you’re eating or snacking, focus on eating and nothing else.

9. Slow down

One reason many people overeat is that they eat too fast. It takes for your body to realize it’s full, so slow down, chew your food for a little bit longer, and take small breaks throughout your meal.

10. Prioritize time to eat

It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, which means it’s easy to eat out of anxiety.

Instead of eating only when you have time, set aside times that you know you’ll sit down and eat. This may keep you from eating way too much when you find the time to sit down and eat.

11. Portion your food at restaurants

It’s easy to overeat at restaurants. They give you a heaping plate of food you want to finish because you paid good money for it. 

Split your food with a loved one to control your portion. Alternatively, ask for a box to pack part of the food up right away to take home for later.

12. Eat with the right people

Similar to creating an environment that supports your lifestyle, eat with people who are on the same page. 

If your friends or family always order a five-course meal when they get out to eat, avoid going to restaurants with them.

13. Get snacky

You don’t need to be starving to eat a meal. Eating a snack between your major meals will make you feel full sooner by the end of your meal.

14. Ditch the packaging

Don’t eat directly from a bag of chips or a package of cookies. Divide the package into smaller, portion-appropriate containers, so you aren’t tempted to overeat the whole package.

15. There is no dessert stomach

If you absolutely need something sweet after a meal, don’t grab a slice of cake or bowl of ice cream. Try a peppermint, hard candy, or a few bites of fruit.

16. Eat the right things

Some nutrients help you feel full, like protein, unsaturated fats, and fiber. Follow the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s suggestions on food portions to help you feel full and not overeat. 

Half of your plate should be vegetables, one-quarter grains, and one-quarter protein.

17. Eat more fiber

Whole grain and fiber-rich foods aren’t a health marketing scam. Foods high in fiber slow down your digestion and make you feel full faster and longer. 

18. Switch junk food for healthy food

You'll be less inclined to mindlessly snack if you’ve replaced all your junk food with something healthy. And if you do, you’ll at least eat healthily.

19. Stress and your gut

Stress often does wacky things to your eating habits. Some people may stop eating entirely or eat way too much.

If stress has caused you to overeat, focus on reducing your stress, and overeating may resolve itself. 

20. Avoid your triggers

Some people have a weakness for certain foods. Other people may eat anytime they’re watching a movie.

Learn what causes you to overeat and build your environment to avoid those triggers. 

21. Keep a journal

You’ve got a lot going on and can’t remember everything. Keep a food journal of what, when, where, why, and how you eat. 

Writing everything down will give you a new perspective on your habits. You’ll notice trends and might be able to spot problems you never saw before. 

22. Eat mindfully

Mindfulness is the solution to many things, but mindful eating helps you be more aware of your eating habits. 

Practice mindfulness while eating by chewing your food slowly a certain number of times, putting your fork down between bites, and describing the flavors you’re experiencing.

23. Remind yourself when you’re satisfied

As part of practicing mindfulness, identify when you’re satisfied from eating and why you want to keep eating. Write it in your food journal if you need to.

Catching yourself when you’re full is the first step to avoid overeating. 

24. Talk to a professional

Overeating might be part of a serious problem like food addiction, depression, or hormone imbalance. If nothing seems to work, talk to your doctor.