[By Jamie Epting, MS, RD, CDN, FAND, System Director of Clinical Nutrition – Acute Care, St. Peter’s Health Partners]
Here we are, a few weeks into the new year, and many of us are likely thinking about our diets. We may have overindulged over the holidays, or simply started off 2025 with the resolve to “eat better.” Regardless of the why, the goal is to be more mindful!
One of the biggest stumbling blocks everyone faces when trying to control calories is dealing with hunger. Here are nine tips to keep yourself from over-eating when you’re hungry.
Think High-Fiber
Add high-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole wheats and grains to your meals to bulk up dishes for larger portions with less calories. An added bonus is that many of these foods have a high water content which can also help to make you feel full.
Greens + Protein
Try making large salads with lean protein and low-calorie dressing or a splash of oil and vinegar. Add equal amounts of vegetables and lean protein to pasta dishes to bulk them up for a larger portion with more vitamins and nutrients.
Stay Hydrated
Drink a glass of water before your meal. It gives you a feeling of fullness and keeps you from overeating due to thirst.
Set Your Plate for Success
Fill your plate half way with veggies and divide the other half for lean protein and whole grains. Include a serving of fruit and low-fat dairy.
Don’t Skip Meals
People who skip meals tend to overeat at the next one, so it’s important to maintain a steady supply of fuel to keep your metabolism going. And starting your day with a good breakfast is essential!
Have Healthy Snacks at the Ready
If you have the right foods available you are more likely to choose them. Pre-make small, calorie-controlled bags or containers (about 100-150 calories each) of low-calorie snacks like fruits, veggies, unsalted nuts, rice cakes, whole grain crackers or dried fruits.
Be Smart When Dining Out
When dining out, choose lean meats and fish that are baked, broiled or grilled, with sides of veggies and whole grains. Choose pasta dishes with marinara sauce and skip the high-fat, meat-based sauces. If the portions are huge, ask for a to-go container as soon as your meal arrives and pack up half for another meal.
Eat Consciously
Remember to be in the moment and taste your food. When we rush through a meal to get on to the next activity we tend to overeat.
Put Down Your Phone
And turn off the TV, too! Try to have meals where good conversation is as nourishing as the food on your plate. Studies have shown children who regularly sit down to family meals are significantly less likely to have an eating disorder, and are more likely to eat more nutritious foods and be at a healthy weight into adulthood.
Make 2025 the year you make mindful eating part of your everyday life. It is a gift to yourself all year long! For more suggestions and tips on healthy eating and living well, visit https://www.myplate.gov/.
St. Peter’s Health Partners has a FREE physician referral and information line to help you find a primary care or specialty provider in 2025: 518-525-2CARE (518-525-2227). You can also visit http://www.sphp.com/ to find a provider at one of the many practices within St. Peter’s Health Partners Medical Associates.
