Avoid Stress Eating by Thinking About Energy Balance

People often feel strong food cravings when they are feeling stressed, anxious or upset. However, binging on fast foods or sweat treats cannot make negative feelings go away. So, don't let your unpleasant thoughts create a self-fulfilling prophecy. Studies have shown that people who are connected with a support person or group, lose more weight than traditional dieters who try to go it alone. So, you need support, especially during tough times.

It is important to flush the overweight mentality out of your head and start thinking like a thin person. Once you visualize yourself as thin, you will be motivated by how good you'll look and feel without the extra weight. Relying on willpower to overcome cravings doesn't always work. If it did, dieting would be easy and we would all look our best. However, it might be easier than you think if you follow a few tips from the experts on how to stay on track.

• Think Energy Balance - Humans have difficulty distinguishing thirst from hunger. Since it is already difficult for you to distinguish true hunger signals, it is important to watch for mindless eating due to stress or boredom.
• Avoid Stress Eating - Listen to your body and only feed it when you are actually hungry and not just bored or thirsty. Conversely, it is equally as important to stop eating once you feel full.
• Cut the Mental Fat to Lose Weight - One of the keys to weight loss success comes from the accountability with which you track your progress, but be smart. If you weigh yourself more than once a week, you will experience unnecessary ups or downs.
• Be Kind to Yourself - An effective diet requires a menu plan that manages your caloric intake to a level where you are taking in less and expending more. So, use the tools you have like establishing accurate portion sizes ahead of time.
• Rethink Being Active - You will likely benefit more from getting up and going for a brisk walk than you would from sleeping an extra 15 minutes, so get moving in the morning. You will feel more alert, focused and energized for the rest of the day.

According to researchers at McGill University's Montreal Neurological Institute, teaching people to trigger their brain's self-control centers could be key in helping them to lose weight and keep it off. Forget your failed attempts and ignore your past mistakes. If you’ve tried to lose weight and it didn’t work, forget everything except what needs to be done now, and do it. Try something new and don't let the foods you choose to eat cause you to struggle with weight loss.

Before you put that sweat treat in your mouth, ask yourself "why"? It is easy to give in to a craving for emotional comfort when you're physically not hungry. How you see yourself can have a huge impact on how much weight you can lose. Moreover, if you think like a fat person, you may be overweight forever. It's crucial to train your mind to gain control over negative thoughts and steer them in a positive direction.