We all know that feeling. You’re stuffed and uncomfortable, regretting every last bite of that extra-large pizza or jumbo bag of chips. Or maybe you didn’t even realize how much you were eating until you stepped on the scale and saw the damage. Either way, it’s not a good feeling. But how can you tell if you really ate too many calories? Here are three signs that may indicate you’ve overindulged.
You Ate More Than Your Daily Calorie Goal
If you’re trying to lose weight or maintain your current weight, then you probably have a daily calorie goal. And if you ate more than that goal, then it’s likely that you ate too many calories. For example, if your daily calorie goal is 2,000 and you ate 2,500 calories, then you went over by 500 calories.
You Ate Mindlessly or Without Paying Attention
Oftentimes, we eat without really thinking about it. We snack on candy at work or munch on fries while we’re driving. And before we know it, we’ve consumed hundreds of extra calories without even realizing it. If this sounds like something you do frequently, then it’s a sign that you need to start paying more attention to what and how much you’re eating throughout the day.
Your Clothes Feel tighter than usual
This one may seem like a no-brainer, but if your clothes feel tighter than normal after eating a large meal, then it’s a sign that you ate too many calories. Overeating can cause temporary water retention and make your clothes feel snugger than they actually are. If this happens often enough, though, those temporary gains can turn into permanent weight gain.
It can be easy to overeat without realizing it—especially if we’re not paying attention to what we’re putting into our bodies. But there are some telltale signs that indicate we’ve had too much to eat. From stepped-on scales to tight clothing, watch out for these three red flags next time you finish a meal so that you can avoid overeating and stay on track with your healthy diet goals.