As some would say it is "bulking' season or for some who don't know what that means they call it hibernation season aka eat all of the food to stay warm this winter. You know you have heard it before. Don't get me wrong it would be pretty cool to be a bear. I mean come on its the best time for oversized sweaters to hide the extra pounds we have put on right?
I may not have any certification as a health specialist but I know a few things about food. Portion control being one of the biggest factors. I've struggled with portion control the majority of my life until I was introduced to macros and also until I watched YouTube videos. I am not one that stops eating everything that I love. I have found balance and control to fit the things I want in my diet. I think if you cut out snack foods/sugary foods it will cause you to have bigger cravings and can cause a binge. So what's the "magic" to eating healthy? portion control!
You can eat what you crave, but you have to do so in servings that won't set back all of the hard work you have already been putting in day to day, I track my meals on myfitnesspal and I also weigh out my food. The thing is if I really want that donut or that half serving size of ice cream that stares at me I eat it. Some people are so afraid to still eat those kinds of foods because they are considered "unhealthy." Like I have said over and over again it is all about balance. Yes you need to/should be eating mostly whole volume foods to keep you full throughout the day but if you want that dang oreo please just eat it. You will be satisfied I swear! Sometimes even one small bite will leave you satisfied.
Meal prep is another way you can stay on track. You need to designate an hour or two, two days a week to prepare daily meals. While it is very time consuming it will be beneficial to you in the end. That way in the morning when you are rushing out the door to head to work all you have to do is crab your Tupperware out of the fridge and you're ready to go. For me, meal prepping has saved me tremendously from binge eating all of the time.
Another tip is to make sure you are looking at the nutrition labels and paying close attention to them. It will help you decided whether or not the serving size is something that you want to eat or not. What I usually look for is foods that are usually higher in protein and fiber to keep me full until my next meal. One more thing I wanted to say is a good example for volume foods that will keep you full throughout the day are salads. You can throw in whatever kinds of veggies that you enjoy with some spinach lettuce kale etc. Also, another side tip is to drink a lot of water through the day it keeps you fuller! Remember it can be done to stay on track while everyone else around is not!
