As someone who struggled with overeating in a major way, not binging has been the toughest part of my weight-loss journey. These are the tips that helped me get to where I’m at; hopefully they’ll help you too!

1. Proportions go a long way—I’m a visual person, so I use little ‘tricks’ to help myself get through proportioning my food. For instance, if I’m eating a handful of chips, I’ll break some of those chips in half so it looks like I’m eating more when really, I’m sticking to the serving size suggested on the packet. Proportioning your food is an easy and fast way to see a noticeable difference in your weight and while it’s tough to do at first, if you push past the first two weeks of doing it, you’ll get used to doing so. I also use smaller plates and bowls to avoid over-doing it with serving sizes, and allow myself time after eating to really think about if I’m hungry and need more food; oftentimes, you’ll find that you’re just fine with the amount you just consumed and going back for seconds isn’t necessary!

2. Drink instead of eat—if you’re about to emotional-eat, are overeating, or just know you’re not hungry and are about to eat anyway, go have some water instead! Lots of times our minds tell us we’re hungry when really, our bodies are telling us that we’re thirsty. Go drink a glass of water, and reconsider whether you’re still hungry or not—if so, stick with something light and healthy like fruit or a veggie snack.

3. Pack little snack bags if you know you’ll be in a tough situation—if you know you won’t be home all day and are afraid you’ll be tempted to get fast food when you’re starving later, pack a small bag with stuff like carrots, blackberries, or granola bars to eat when you’ve got some down time

4. Utilize your friends—have someone stop you from doing certain things, like ordering a brownie in a restaurant that is 1,000+ calories or eating McDonalds 3 hours after you ate Taco Bell [um, not that I’ve done that or anything…]. Pick someone you trust to be sensitive and to use their judgement on when you need some assistance. On the same note, having someone who is willing to tell you when you’re not eating ENOUGH is important too; if you’re over doing it with the calorie counting, it’s good to have someone gently remind you of that.

5. Don’t deprive yourself—everyone says this; not enough people abide by it. It’s okay to mess up sometimes; when you do, you’re not a failure or a pig. Losing weight is hard, and especially in the beginning, so don’t beat yourself up when you mess up on something. Instead, think of the positives of the situation, and if you eat something you really love that is a little unhealthy, just enjoy it as you doit and get back on track as soon as you can.