One of the fundamental principles of weight loss is to eat smaller portion sizes but sometimes it is hard to stop eating once you start. The mere act of eating stimulates the appetite making it easy to overeat before you even have time to realize you are full.

It can also be a challenge to stop eating when it conflicts with lessons you have been taught, like clean your plate, don't be wasteful, or get the best deal-which usually means super-sizing your order and getting more food for the money.

A very effective technique that you can begin to use today to control overeating is to use something called a "Stopper". A Stopper is defined as any food, drink or activity that signals to your brain that the eating occasion has now ended. For instance, let's assume that you have consumed what you intended to eat for dinner yet you find yourself thinking about having something additional. This is when you would turn to your Stopper.

Stoppers are as varied as the individuals that use them. And it might take you a bit of thought and experimentation to come up with one that works for you but when you find one that works for you, stick with it. The stronger you make the association between the Stopper and the end of eating the more effective it will be.

So what are good Stoppers? As stated earlier a stopper can be a food, drink or activity. If you choose a food it should be something that is eaten primarily as a Stopper. This will solidify the connection in you head that when this food is consumed - eating is over. Some ideas are a few Tic-Tacs, a sugar-free candy, a vitamin or calcium supplement, or a stick of cinnamon gum. Hot drinks can make great Stoppers because they must be sipped taking a long time to consume and allowing you to make the shift away from eating. Activities can make powerful Stoppers. You might find that folding your napkin and placing it on your plate works for you; brushing your teeth or rinsing with mouthwash are also examples of Stoppers.

By using a Stopper when you know in your head that you have had enough to eat you will give your stomach time to communicate with your brain and signal that you are full. Use your favorite Stopper on a regular basis and you will break the habit of overeating and you will also be able to more accurately judge how much food you need to stay satisfied throughout the day.