Are you finding yourself scanning the contents of your pantry and fridge more often these days? 

 

Overeating is becoming more problematic as more people are spending more time at home because of self-quarantine. 

 

And it’s not just late-night munchies that are causing people to overeat; the magnetic pull of the kitchen is an all day phenomenon. 

 

So if you’re finding yourself eating more than usual during these challenging times, how can you control your appetite? 

 

Here are 5 tips for preventing overeating at home….

 

#1: Drink Lots of Water

 

It sounds so simple yet it’s true. Drinking more water in several studies has been associated with weight loss. According to this study in Frontiers in Nutrition, the reason why drinking more water prevents weight gain relates to a hormone called angiotensin II (AngII). AngII is the principal hormone of body fluid regulation. 

 

Researchers noticed that in people with metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes, levels of AngII hormone were chronically elevated. When AngII hormone levels are high, it’s an indication that the body is dehydrated. Thus, the researchers in the study theorize that chronic dehydration is the driving force behind elevated AngII levels, and consequently, obesity. 

 

Unfortunately not liking the taste of water is one of the main reasons that patients with metabolic disorders don’t drink enough water. For one thing, most tap water is highly chlorinated and tastes like it was drawn from a swimming pool somewhere.  On top of the chlorine, most municipal tap water is also loaded with fluoride, heavy metals, pharmaceutical drugs and more.  When we suggest drinking more water, we mean pure water. The problem is that most purified water is derived via reverse osmosis.  While this water is highly filtered and clear of most of the unmentionables above, it’s also stripped of vital minerals.  

 

So how can you get water to taste better and be healthy too? Well, you can create your own mineral rich spa water! Luxury spas treat their clients with infused pure water. With Boku, you can take this concept to the next level! To make your own Super Water, pour water into a large glass jug and cut up little wedges of organic strawberry, cucumber and/or lemon, add to the water and let sit overnight. Add a few drops of BoKU Minerals  and by morning, you’ll have delicious-tasting, mineral-rich Super Water! 

 

Upon waking in the morning, drink 12-16 oz. 

 

Try drinking a full glass before each meal. Doing this will help reduce the amount of calories you’ll consume. And if you’re craving a snack, before reaching for something that will temporarily light up the reward center of your brain, only to make you feel guilty and sluggish later, instead, fill up your belly with a tall glass of water.  

#2: Intermittent Fasting

If you’re not doing intermittent fasting yet, start now. It’s the easiest way to manage weight. All you have to do is fast for at least 12 hours from the last bite you chew at dinner until your first bite the next day. The longer you go in between dinner and breakfast, the more weight-loss success you’ll have. Shoot for a 12 hour fast for the first week. Then increase the intermittent fast to 14 hours. Many people have reported the most weight loss success with a 16 hour fast (example: stop eating by 8 p.m. and break the fast at noon). 

 

While fasting, you can have black coffee or herbal tea. Trace minerals are also important to supplement with if you’re doing intermittent fasting, especially a 16 hour or longer fast. That’s because trace mineral deficiency can cause low energy levels. 

 

The great thing about intermittent fasting is that you can eat whatever you want (within reason) and how much you want so long as the calories consumed are within the 8-12 hour window of eating. If you have one relatively unhealthy snack during the calorie-consuming window, you won’t feel as guilty. 

 

#3: Break Your Fast With Superfood Powder

 

After you fast for up to 16 hours, your stomach-holding capacity shrinks. Although you might be hungry by noon if you last finished a meal at 8:00 the previous night, the last thing you should do is eat a large meal. Instead, what you want to do is gently wake up your digestive system and nourish your body’s 37.2 trillion cells (give or take a trillion). 

 

And the best fuel you can possibly power your body with is a Superfood Complete Meal Kit. Complete Meal Kit consists of two award-winning nutrient-dense, delicious powders: Superfood Powder, which contains the most impressive portfolio of any green powder on the planet (55 superfoods), and Super Protein, our keto-friendly powder made from four plant-based proteins that contains all 9 essential amino acids. 

 

This flood of pure organic nutrition will provide the fuel your body is craving to satisfy hunger.  Remember, your body does not want to be full, your body needs to be fueled!

Approximately half an hour after breaking your fast with Complete Meal Kit, you can eat your first meal of the day. And remember, it doesn’t matter what you eat or how much, as long as you’re doing intermittent fasting. 

 

#4: Superfood Snacks

 

When the irresistible snacking urge strikes, break it the healthy way. Combining nuts and fruit is an excellent way to satisfy cravings with nutrient density. If you’re trying to manage your weight, keep in mind nuts are high in calories. One or two handfuls of nuts is more than enough. Eating a large apple (either before or after) should also keep cravings for empty calories at bay. 

 

And if you’re still hungry, have another Super Protein shake and consider adding additional scoops of Boku Superfood. While Boku Superfood is incredibly nutrient dense, it’s still food and some people naturally eat more than others.  Many of our customers are “mega-dosers” and will consume as many as four or more scoops of superfood per serving.    

#5: Do Something To Take Your Mind Off Food 

 

If you find yourself yet again glancing in your fridge or pantry, ask yourself if what you’re really experiencing is true hunger or something else. Maybe you’re just bored. Try to take your mind off food by getting some fresh air and going for a walk. Or spend 10 minutes learning new vocabulary words (either in English or a foreign language). Read a book, call a friend … do anything that will take your mind off of food. And if that doesn’t work, don’t forget to drink a tall glass of water. 

 

What’s your favorite way to resist overeating? Leave a comment.