Bill Phillips, an American entrepreneur and author once said that food is the most widely abused anti-anxiety drug in Australia, and exercise is the most potent yet underutilized antidepressant. Ok, little lie. He wasn’t referring to Australia but America, but he wouldn’t have been wrong if he had. In fact, I’m sure most of us think his reasoning applies not only to Australia but to our modern societies.
But does this really apply to Australia? Does the data show a different picture? Aren’t we the poster country of fit and healthy people that happily show off their glorious and shiny bodies at the beach?
Well, it does apply. In fact, maybe too much. Studies show that more than half -yes, you read that right- of Australians adults are overweight. According to the World Health Organization, we rank top 20 in countries with the highest percentage of overweight people. In addition, obesity affects 1 in 4 adults in our country and its prevalence is expected to rise.
Certainly, not everyone tends to reach for the fridge because they have anxiety, but overeating is, especially with all the readily available junk food, more common than ever.
What follows then are simple yet effective ways you can curb your appetite when those seemingly uncontrollable cravings strike:
- Go for alternatives
If you are taking out your frustrations, stress or anxiety by eating, find ways to deal with these feelings. For example, if you are eating because of anxiety, resort to exercising, meditating and any activity you enjoy that will help you keep your mind off eating.
- Drink enough water
Drinking water increases the feeling of fullness, thus decreasing your hunger.
- Don’t keep high-calorie junk food, desserts or sweets at home
It is easy to indulge in something if you know It is right in front of you for grabs. This, of course, doesn’t mean don’t indulge in those foods ever again, but at least make it a habit to not eat them in the beginning. High-calorie foods contribute to putting on weight very easy.
- Get busy away from food
When those cravings strike, go for a walk or a run, walk the dog, go to the park, run some errands.
- Write down how you feel after overeating
Not too good, right? Doing this and getting back to it will remind you that overeating is, of course, pleasurable but ultimately not worth it.
- When it’s time to eat, consume foods that will fill you up
High-Water, high-fibre foods help curb hunger. Fruits and vegetables are high-volume foods that keep you satiated, and what’s best a lot of them are low on calories. Additionally, when you eat as much as you want of foods that are high in volume but low in calories you eat less during the day.
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