Overeating has become a bad habit in our society and an obsession with some people. There are many reasons why people overeat and unfortunately the solutions to the problem are not that easy to implement for some. The question of how can I stop overeating can be answered logically but there are often underlying reasons that make it difficult to stop. Developing the willpower to stop overeating can seem hopeless, but it can be done. Here are some suggestions:

1. Many people will eat when they are bored. Eating is a way to overcome their boredom. It stimulates them; gives them something to do. This is a habit and a bad one. Boredom does not stimulate hunger. If you are eating when you are bored you are simply looking for something to do. The logical solution to this problem is find something else to do. Physical activity is always a good choice. If that doesn't work for you find a hobby, read a book or leave the house.

2. People often like to eat when they are stressed out. In some ways it can help you relax. Seek out different ways to control your stress levels. Food is not the answer and like boredom, stress does not trigger hunger. You are looking for a coping mechanism. Again - physical activity is a great stress reliever.

3. Social situations can lead to overeating. It can be difficult to control how much you eat when you are at a party or a happy hour with a buffet. Often times the foods that are served are mouthwatering and tempting; it can be very hard not to nibble as you are talking and drinking. Here you just have to make a conscious decision not to over indulge. Set a goal to limit yourself and stick to it. An effective way to limit how much you eat at a party is to eat a healthy meal before you go - you won't be as hungry and less likely to over eat.

4. Before meals you should drink an 8 oz glass of water. This will fool your stomach into feeling full sooner than later. Also do not eat too fast. The faster you eat the more you can consume. If you eat slowly this gives your stomach time to trigger a response to your brain to let you know that you are filling up.

5. Avoid eating foods with empty calories. Foods that are processed, junk foods, candy, chips, etc offer very little nutritional value and fool your body into thinking it is still hungry when it really isn't. Concentrate on eating foods that are high in protein, complex carbohydrates and essential fats. These will help satisfy your hunger for longer periods of time.

6. A good trick to use to fool your brain into thinking you are eating enough food is to use a smaller plate. This way it will appear that you are eating alot of food because it will cover the smaller plate.

7. Some recommend not eating while watching TV because you may be focused on the program and not on how much you are eating. This leads to overconsumption. We also tend to eat through the length of the show whether we are hungry or not.

Understanding the fundamental reason for overeating may help you answer the question how can I stop overeating? The reason people overeat is that there is a lack of connection between our bodies and what physical hunger is. Instead of eating when we need to we eat because we get caught up in the visual, psychological, cultural and social cues regarding how much we eat vs. what we really need to eat.