How to Stop Overeating Once and For All

The problem is, you’re not connecting with your food

Five Techniques to Connect with your Food & Savor your Meals

“I take five slow breaths, making the exhale longer than the inhale. The exhale is connected to the parasympathetic response. It’s the part of our body that helps us digest food. You can try inhaling for four counts and exhaling for six counts.” —Tiffany Cruikshank, founder of Yoga Medicine and author of Meditate Your Weight.

“I say a word of thanks. It alters your mood and puts you in the right frame of mind.” —Brian Wansink, PhD

“Eating is about feeling good, not being good. So I set the intention that I want to feel better when I’m done eating than I did when I started. That’s going to affect every decision I make, from how much food I take to what food I take.” —Michelle May, MD

“I really look at the first bite. I was just at a conference, and there was this huge display of cookies. It would have been so easy to grab one and walk away, but I really looked and noticed they seemed hard and dry, so I passed right on by. That pause helps me decide whether I actually want it.” —Susan Albers, PsyD