Fitness coach suggests 5 ‘weird’ habits he follows to stop overeating: ‘Serve meals on smaller plates…’

If you are struggling with overeating tendencies, check out these tricks which aid in curbing craving temptations.

Overeating is one of the most common hurdles people face when trying to lose weight, as overeating leaves no room for a calorie deficit, making it impossible to get close to their goals. When you are overeating, you go beyond the recommended, healthy calorie deficit, let alone create the deficit required to drop weight. This can stall the progress and take you back to square one with unintended weight gain.

While the typical image of overeating often involves feasting on a larger meal, it can also occur in smaller, more subtle, and less obvious ways, such as snacking throughout the day.

Because it is such a common problem, sometimes you may require unconventional tactics to resolve it. Zaccheus Payne, online fitness coach, shared in an October 2 Instagram post some ‘weird’ ways he uses to curb overeating.

Here are the five tricks the fitness coach follows to keep cravings away:

1. Set a 20-minute timer before eating

The first hack Zaccheus suggested was to keep a timer when eating. Explaining the reasoning behind this, he added, “Eat too fast, and you’ll blow past your fullness signals every time. A timer forces me to slow down, and I always finish right when I’m actually full, never stuffed.”

Eating quickly is one of the reasons overeating takes place. The brain takes time to realise the fullness from the meal. This does not happen if you eat fast. And before you realise you are overeating. So what the coach meant was that a timer helps to slow you down and become more aware of what you are eating.

2. Phone goes aeroplane mode at meals

Are you in the habit of scrolling through your phone or catching up on the latest show on your phone while you are eating? Sitting quietly with your thoughts during meals may feel boring, but it is a powerful tool to be more intentional about your mealtime. Meaning? You overeat less.

The fitness coach also reiterated this point, revealing that he puts his phone on aeroplane mode. “No scrolling. No videos. No texts. If I’m eating, I’m only eating. It’s about respecting my food and my goals, not being antisocial.”

When you are distracted by your phone. Can't finish the episode by the time you are done eating? You instinctively grab for another serving, and more, until that episode is over. You don't realise you may be going beyond the safe portions. If you are trying to portion control, not using your phone during meals will help you stay on track.

3. Chug water before every meal

Zaccheus advised drinking water before meals. It influences your satisfaction largely. He added, “A full glass, no sipping. You’re probably not hungry; you’re just dehydrated. Do this and watch cravings drop fast.” Make sure it is a full glass, and not just ‘sipping.' When you drink water, the cravings also reduce, and you feel fuller. This way, even if you want to go for another serving, you won't be able to because you already feel full.

4. Eat with smaller plates

The fourth suggestion is to change the dinnerware. Surprising? But changing the plate you eat from actually makes portion control much easier.

The fitness coach shared that he uses small plates and bowls. “I always serve my meals on smaller plates or bowls. Portion sizes look bigger, my brain feels satisfied, and I end up eating less without even trying.”

Generally, on a larger plate, the empty space around food makes your portion look smaller. But with a smaller plate/bowl, the food appears crowded, tricking your brain that the portion is sufficient.

5. No food before noon

A fitness coach revealed that he doesn't take any food before noon. “Black coffee and water until lunch. This is my cheat code for more focus and a leaner physique.”

This technique works well for those who are following intermittent fasting. While other suggestions are more habit-driven and can be applied broadly, this one requires health guidance. It suggests that not all weight loss hacks are one-size-fits-all. But for those who are following this approach, the fasting window in the morning reduces the snacking tendencies, too.

Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.