At Strong with Sarah, we want all of our clients to enjoy their favorite foods (in moderation) while losing weight. However, enjoying your favorite foods can lead to a slippery slope of overeating… which sabotages your long-term health (and weight loss) results.

If you struggle with overeating your favorite foods, check out 6 ways to help break out of the overeating cycle:

1. Increase your calories and protein intake. Often times, you may overeat because you feel deprived, or because you have intense cravings or hunger. By increasing your calories, you can fit more foods into your daily calorie allotment. By increasing your protein intake, you will feel more full and satisfied.
2. Include your favorite foods (in moderation) into your nutrition plan. As soon as you “ban” certain foods, you end up craving them more. Instead, give yourself permission to occasionally enjoy ALL foods in small portions.
3. Forget about planning “cheat” days. Ugh - the word “cheat” has such a negative connotation to it! When you’re enjoying pizza or cookies or any other indulgent food, you are NOT cheating because all foods can fit (in moderation) into a healthy eating plan.
4. Aiming to eat perfectly healthy isn’t sustainable for most of us, and it only leads to feelings of disappointment when you do enjoy your favorite foods. Instead, mindfully plan for your favorite foods on special occasions.
5. If you’re not prepared for the times when hunger or thirst strikes, chances are you’ll grab a tasty, less-nutritious snack that’s easy to overconsume. Be prepared by staying hydrated to help keep hunger in check, and by having healthy snacks on hand for when hunger hits.
6. Before social events or eating at restaurants, come up with a game plan. Either look at the menu ahead of time to decide what to order, or come up with some strategies that allow you to enjoy your social events without over-doing it.

Which of these strategies do you feel would help you most?