Signs You’re Eating Too Much Food

1. You're Gaining Weight Slow And Steady

Image source Women's HealthThe most obvious sign of over-eating is continuous weight gain.  If you notice your weight creeping up slowly but regularly, this information is telling you that your daily calories are over and above what your body needs to maintain the same weight.  You are likely dishing up extra large portions if the scales are correct!

2. You Are Distracted When Eating

 Image source DepositphotosYou daily meals should be consumed when you are sitting down, maybe with the rest of your family.  If you are browsing the internet or texting back and forth with a friend, you may be unaware of what's going in your mouth and you don't know how much you're eating.  Are you dishing up an extra spoonful of mash without realising because you're distracted by an online conversation?

3. You Constantly Think About Food

Image source Complex PerformanceIf food is always at the front of your mind and you find yourself hanging around the pantry and the fridge, it's unlikely that it's because you are starving hungry.  It's possible there might be something deeper going on in your life and you may be eating to forget about it.

4. You Use Food As A Coping Mechanism

Image source Dr Tricia PingelSome people can't face food if they are stressed and then there are others who turn to food in times of sadness.  Because food can be an emotional journey and can bring back memories of our childhood, eating can be a way of coping and dealing with emotions. Knowing you are over-eating can fill you with guilt and this makes you eat more.

5. You Polish Off Your Food Before Everyone Else

Image source The KitchenNo matter how good your meal tastes, you may be in the habit of gobbling a hefty serving down without savouring the flavour.  Others round the table could be only half way through theirs so you go for another helping.  You might think you're still hungry but it takes 15-20 minutes for a signal to the brain from your stomach to tell you to stop eating.

6.  Your Jeans Feel Tight Around The Waist

Image source The ListWhen many people have a good meal, they think they are supposed to feel bloated or have a 'food baby'.  This isn't true as it's a classic sign you have over eaten.  Your stomach will naturally stick out a bit after eating any sort of meal but if it’s to the point where you have to undo that top button, then you’ve overdone it.

7. You Never Feel Fully Satisfied

Image source GQ IndiaHave you ever thought that feeling full and feeling satisfied have two different meanings? A big salad can make you feel full but some people don't find it to be the most satisfying, so they eat another meal or fill up on loads of snacks such as crisps and chocolate.  Is this you?

8. You Experience Acid Reflux

Image source InsiderAlso known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), acid reflux is a condition which occurs when the lower oesophageal sphincter is unable to keep out stomach acid from getting into the oesophagus. Big meals can contribute towards acid reflux so, if you suffer, it could be through your diet.

9. You Restrict Yourself With Certain Foods

Image source DOSEYou'd think that restricting certain food groups from your diet would make you lose weight but it can have the reverse effect.  If you are craving what you've decided you aren't eating, you may well end up over eating, stuffing your face with those banned foods.

10. Your Heart Races

Image source Phoenix HealthThe science is as simple as this - the more food you eat, the harder your digestive system has to work to break down this food.  With more digestive activity comes more blood flow. This will make your heart work harder and cause your heart to race and your face to flush.

11. You Make A Habit Of  Having Seconds And Thirds

Image source InsiderChances are that your first full plate of food already served up more than one average sized portion.  If your stomach is literally still growling for more, then refill it until it stops growling but with stuff like veggies.  If seconds and even thirds are the same size as your original plate, you know you have over eaten.

12. Difficulty Sleeping At Night

Image source SleepScoreIf you are eating a very large evening meal, especially after 8pm, you may have difficulty sleeping as your body is working flat out to break down the food and can make you feel too uncomfortable to get to sleep.  The more you have eaten, the longer it will take before you can get some shut eye.

13. You Crave Sugary Foods

Image source Eat This, Not ThatIf you are over eating, you may be dipping into the cookie jar or gorging on some Ben and Jerry's after a substantial meal.  These sugary carbs cause your brain to release dopamine, a pleasure hormone. As you consume more sugar, the more dopamine is released and that's why you crave more and more.

14. You Struggle With Acne

Image source MedicinePlusOver eating, where a lot of refined sugar and bad fats are consumed, will not do your insides any good at all and your skin may tell the story of what is going on.  This can be in the form of acne due to the high glycemic foods passing through your mouth.

15. You Get More Cavities

Image source Benbrook Family DentalIf your eating habits involve lots of treats in between your meals, such as biscuits, sweets and fizzy drinks, then you might find yourself visiting the dentist more often than you wished.  These so called treats can play havoc with your teeth and gums and cavities may rear their ugly head.

16. Dining Out More Than Eating In

Image source Pizzapls.comWho doesn’t love eating out? Whether it's for a special occasion or you just fancied breaking up the week by visiting that new restaurant in town, it makes us feel good.  If you count up to find you're eating out more than eating in, with all those hidden calories and devouring three courses, over eating is going to be a pattern in your life.

17. You Feel Depressed

Image source Cleveland ClinicEating a large meal, followed by a hefty dessert, may make you feel full and satisfied until an hour later when you start grazing or having a few more spoons of left over pudding. Because you've consumed lots of sugar and hidden sugar substitutes, it won't be long before you might feel depressed and this is due to the sugar crash, the opposite to the sugar rush.

18. You're Too Full To Breathe!

Image source Cooking LightIf you’re absolutely stuffed after a meal, it’s a tell tale sign that you have over eaten. It has gone past the 'satisfied' stage because you struggle to move out of your chair on to the sofa.  That extra fullness is making your digestive system perform somersaults and you feel as if you can't breathe properly and relax.  There might be a lot of 'huffing and puffing' going on with you.

19. You Avoid Social Food Situations

Image source The GuardianIf you frequently experience shame or guilt from over eating around other people, even a close friend, you may fall into the habit of over eating in secret.  You might be worried about how others would judge you for how much or what you eat.  This can make you turn anti social.

20. You're Out Of Control With Food

Image source MoodSurfingIf the idea of eating a meal makes you feel panicky and causes your anxiety levels to raise, you may fall into the over eating trap.  You may blame it on a lack of willpower and this gives your mind the permission to eat everything in sight and you feel you have no control over it.

21. You Don't Have A Regular Eating Pattern

Image source HuffPostOver eating can disrupt hunger regulation.  The two hormones that affect regulation of hunger, ghrelin and leptin and when you over eat the balance can be affected so you eat many times during the day rather than three main meals and a couple of healthy snacks.

22. Your Brain Function May Be Impaired

Image source BrainscapeOver time, over eating could harm your brain function.  Several studies have shown that  over eating and obesity can lead to mental decline and older adults found that being overweight affected their memory in a negative way.  This has been compared with normal weight people who didn't experience that issue.

23. You May Feel Nauseous

Image source BellyBellyOver eating on a regular basis can cause very uncomfortable feelings of both indigestion and nausea.  The adult stomach is about the size of a clenched fist and holds around 3 ounces when empty but can expand 12 times that size after a big meal.  If it gets to this stage, you might have horrible feelings of nausea.

24. You Might Have Excessive Gas And Bloating

Image source eMedicineHealthEating large amounts of food could strain your digestive system, triggering gas and bloating.  The gas-producing items that can affect you are spicy and fatty foods as well as fizzy drinks, certain veggies and beans.  Eating too fast can produce gas as well.

25. You Eat Even When There's No Room For More Food

Image source Eat This, Not ThatAre you one of those people who, as the saying says, 'has eyes that are bigger than your belly'.  This means that, even though you are full up from eating and couldn't manage another morsel, but somehow you are managing to eat bits and bobs, just because they are there.

26. You Don't Read Nutrition Labels

Image source The Healthy If you don't read the nutrition labels and guides on the foods you are eating, it may be because you are in denial and don't want to know how bad they are for you or it could be that you feel things have got to a stage where you don't think you can choose healthy alternatives or smaller portions because bad habits have already set in.

27. You Think All Fats Are The Same

Image source Self.comNot knowing what types of fats are healthier than others is one of the main reasons why some people might eat too much of the bad fats.  Saturated fat is found in red meat, poultry with the skin on, whole milk, butter and cheese.  In moderation, these foods are fine but if they are consumed like they are going out of fashion, that's a different story.

28. You Pop Antacids Like Sweets

Image source Healthline

If you always have 'Rennies' or 'Gaviscon' close to hand, for after you have eaten, this is a  sign you may have eaten too much fat.  Saturated fat takes longer to digest in the system and that awful feeling of acid starts to work it's way up to the back of your throat.

29. You Often Have Fried Food

Image source Simplot FoodsChicken wings and a mound of chips might be treats for your taste buds but not for the rest of your body. Deep fried foods contain trans fat, which throw your good and bad cholesterol levels out of sync.  If this is a regular part of your diet, besides putting yourself at risk of diabetes, you might struggle to get into those clothes you bought a few months ago.

30. How To Cope With Discomfort From Over Eating

Image source Times of India For short term relief from the discomfort from over eating, it's a good idea to sip ginger tea or pour hot water over liquorice root to settle your stomach and help deal with that bloated feeling.  Don't lie down while you're feeling uncomfortable and this might start up the further symptom of heartburn.

31. You Always Eat On The Sofa

Image Source / The KitchnThere's something more controlled about eating at a table in terms of better controlling your portions and the food you're laying out on the table. But if you're always eating on the sofa - and spend the entire evening on the sofa - it's going to become the prime spot for constantly eating, being surrounded by snacks and plating up portions whenever you get peckish.

32. You're Always Eating On The Go

Image Source / SwisseIf you're always grabbing food on the go throughout the day, chances are you're not keeping track of portion amounts and may be likely eating more than you would if you had structured meal times at lunch and dinner. Not to mention the calories from snacks you're probably piling up!

33. You're Eating Way Too Quickly

Image Source / Clean Eating MagazineYour body needs time to process your food as it needs enough time for your stomach to signal to your brain that its full. If you're eating extremely fast, you may be filling up before your body's hormones get a chance to tell your brain that you've had enough food.

34. The Idea Of Being Hungry Makes You Anxious

Image Source / ThrillistIf you always eat way too much at every meal - and feel awful for it afterwards - you might then get an anxiety towards feeling hungry and knowing that you're bound to eat too much. This can be catch 22, because you then might make sure to eat extra so that you never feel hungry - and it's just an endless circle!

35. You Avoid Eating In Front Of Others If You Can Help It

Image Source / Morning AdvertiserThere's a difference if you need to eat alone a lot of the time, or if you're actively avoiding any situation that will make you eat in front of others, like declining an invite to a restaurant with friends. This suggests that you know you're eating badly and in an unhealthy way, and you feel guilty about it, so feel more comfortable eating alone.

36. You Find It Impossible To Keep Stock Of Anything At Home Because You'll Eat It All In One Go

Image Source / RedditMost of us will buy extra when we go shopping to stock up with extra while we're there and save two trips. But if you do this with your favourite food or snacks, and then eat everything you have in one go instead of being able to resist, it's a sign you're overeating your trigger foods.

37. You Eat With Technology In Front Of You

Image Source / The MirrorThis is either your phone in your hand, your iPad playing something or your TV on. If you're messing with technology every single time you eat, and especially if you're watching something, you're more likely to eat more food than you normally would and not pay attention to the large portions you're eating quickly whilst distracted.

38. You're Stressed Nearly Every Day

Image Source / Cleveland ClinicIf your routine is just stress, stress, stress every single day, then one way to deal with that for a lot of people is to turn to comfort food. Not only that, but the more you're stressed, the more likely you're going to crave quick meals and unhealthy food rather than taking the time to cook healthily.

39. You Have A Very, Very Busy Schedule

Image Source / Niagara InstituteThe more busy you are, the less time you have to cook. It's a problem most of us are faced with these days, getting home after a long day already exhausted and just wanting to eat something quick and easy. If you're really busy, it's likely you're overeating with meals that aren't planned properly, or snacking more throughout the day to keep your energy up.

40. You Eat Because You're Bored

Image Source / HealthlineWhen you're bored at home, you may find yourself wandering about checking the kitchen cupboards, or thinking about food. You're more likely to constantly snack when you're bored because there's not much else to occupy your hands or mind.

41. And You're Bored

A Lot

Image Source / Tikvah Lake RecoveryIf you're someone who eats more when you're bored, then it only follows that you're going to be eating more if you find yourself bored a lot. If you don't have a lot going on or don't know how to occupy your time with hobbies, finding yourself with nothing to do a lot of the time, chances are you're eating more.

42. You Don't Practice Mindful Eating - Or Even Know What It Is

Image Source / HelpGuide.orgMindful eating is when you're paying attention to every bite, to exactly what you're eating, and stopping to take your time and ask yourself whether you're actually hungry. If you've never heard of mindful eating before, chances are you're more mindlessly eating when your body might not necessarily be hungry.

43. You're Never Really Exercising - So No Calorie Burn Off

Image Source / Chris BaileyThe idea of overeating is relative to how much exercise you're doing - you may be eating a huge amount, but as long as you're burning it off and it goes hand in hand with an exercise routine, it's not a bad thing as long as the food is healthy. So if you're never exercising but you're eating loads, there's no chance to burn off the calories.

44. You Don't Exercise So You Crave More Junk Food

Image Source / RAND CorporationWhen we get into a good exercise routine, it's more likely that we feel good about ourselves and want to stick to that health kick. This makes it more easier to resist eating junk food because you don't want to cancel out the exercise you've just achieved. So if you're not exercising and stuck in an unhealthy slump, you're probably eating more junk food than healthy food.

45. Your Grocery Bill Is Always So High

Image Source / The Cooking LifeOf course, this means in relation to what an average spend for your living situation should be. For an example, though, say you live alone but your grocery bill is always absurdly high as though you're feeding a family of four. Unless you're spending that much money on toiletries and cleaning products, it's likely you're buying loads of food.

46. And You Don't Make A Grocery List

Image Source / Tiny Ray of SunshineIf you don't make a grocery shop list, you're more likely to buy things you don't need - and especially from the food aisles. Grocery lists keep you on track for specifically what you need so you don't overspend (and overeat), so if you're piling everything into your cart without a list, you're probably buying too much food.

47. You Also Go Shopping When You're Hungry

Image Source / National GeographicIt's always advised never to go shopping when you're hungry - because we all know that feeling when you get to the snack aisle on the empty stomach and debate whether you could fill your cart with just chips and dip. So if this is you, you're letting your stomach make the decisions for you, and likely buying a whole load of extra food.

48. You're Practically Living Off Take Outs

Image Source / WikipediaOne of the main issues with take outs is - in the same way as going grocery shopping on an empty stomach - you're more likely to order one when you're already hungry. So you'll probably end up ordering loads of sides and extras because you think you'll eat it. And if you're doing this most days a week because you don't cook, you're probably having a lot of food you don't need.

49. And Then You Feel Guilty For Not Finishing It

Image Source / The Environmental CenterLeaving some food on your plate when you've cooked it is different to leaving food you've ordered from a take out, because you feel more guilty about wasting the money you've just spent. So if you did go and order a million sides, you'll probably try to force yourself to finish what you can even if you're full because you feel like you've wasted money otherwise!

50. You're Terrible At Understanding Portions

Image Source / Men's HealthIf you don't understand what one portion is for a healthy meal, then chances are you're making too much food (because we always tend to make more than one portion rather than less). Especially when it comes to big pans of pasta or rice, your portions may be double what you should actually be eating because it's hard to judge!