Tricks to Curb Mindless Eating

By the Editors of Health.com

Beating yourself up for chowing down on a giant bagel in the break room? Don’t. It’s not all on you. “You take cues from your surroundings, and they often don’t work in your favor,” says Walter Willett, MD, chair of the department of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health and co-author of Thinfluence.

Here’s how to fight back:

Clear the clutter

Is your kitchen table a mess? Noshing at an untidy spot or, worse, while standing promotes overeating, Dr. Willett says. Designate a new area for odds and ends so you can enjoy your meal sans distractions.

Related: 12 Foods That Control Your Appetite

Have an emergency exit

Before you hit your boss’s birthday party, rehearse a few lines in your head to avoid overdoing it on the cupcakes. It can be something as simple as “These are so tempting, but I had a big lunch.”

Don’t Facebook when you’re hungry

Seeing a photo of your friends’ treats can lead you right to the fridge. So stay off social media when you haven’t eaten, or scroll your feed with a healthy snack in hand, Dr. Willett advises.

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