10 WAYS TO BINGE PROOF YOUR HOME

If you’re struggling with overeating, consider the following fifteen tips for binge-proofing your home.

1 Buy Smaller Plates

Studies have found that people tend to serve themselves larger portions when they use larger plates. To cut down on your serving sizes, consider downsizing your servingware.

2 Clear Out the Cupboards

If bags of chips and boxes of cookies are staring you in the face, you’ll probably be more likely to eat them than if you had to take the additional step of heading out to the store to buy them. Avoid the impulse to snack by getting rid of junk food and replacing it with healthy alternatives.

3 KEEP TREATS AROUND

Alternatively, if you have one item you tend to deny yourself and then eat a ton of at once, consider keeping it around to satisfy your cravings more often. So if you binge eat a whole pint of ice cream when you crack once a month, consider keeping ice cream in your freezer and having a bite or two when you get the urge.

4 Chuck the TV

Snacking while watching TV is a common way to get carried away and eat the entire bag of chips. Switch TV for another activity that you don’t associate so strongly with eating, and it may help cut down on binging.

5 Get a Clock

If you tend to go back for multiple portions, invest in a clock to hang in your main eating spot. Before you go back for seconds, wait twenty minutes. You may find that you’re not actually that hungry!

6 Use Your Tupperware

Pre-portion servings of your favorite snacks into individual containers. If you only bring one portion of pretzels to the couch, you won’t be able to eat the whole bag before you realize what you’re doing.

7 Have Dishes of Many Colors

Research has shown that having a low color contrast between food and plate can result in overserving, and thus, larger portions. Consider investing in a variety of dish colors, and choose the ones that contrast most highly with the meal you’re eating.Researchers have found that people tend to overeat when they’re in cooler environments. Keep your home at a warmer temperature (or throw on a sweater before dinner) to cut down on binge risk.

8 CRANK UP THE HEAT

Researchers have found that people tend to overeat when they’re in cooler environments. Keep your home at a warmer temperature (or throw on a sweater before dinner) to cut down on binge risk.

9 Put Food Away

Leaving food out on the counter, on the table, or on top of the fridge may be making you hungrier. Seeing food – even images of food - can initiate a hunger response, causing you to snack even if you’re not really hungry. Keep food closed away in cupboards, the pantry, or the fridge.

10 Consider Your Colors

Overeating is often linked with stress, and room decor can have a big influence on how relaxed you feel at home. Trade reds, oranges, and yellows (which can result in heightened arousal) for more calming blues and greens.