Do you eat until you're stuffed? Well, then it's time to call it quits...before you feel full. While you eat, the stomach sends a signal to the brain, saying it's full. However, it usually takes about 20 minutes for the brain to get this signal, which gives you plenty of time to overeat. The secret is to quit while you're ahead. Even if you're still a bit hungry, take a time out and wait a bit. If you still feel unfulfilled, eat a bit more. More than likely, you've already consumed enough food to make the stomach full. There are many ways to head off overeating before it even happens. Do some sort of high-intensity physical activity before you eat - whether it's taking a brisk walk or doing 20 to 30 minutes of circuit training. You're less likely to gorge yourself at the meal, and even if you do overeat, the workout provides a little "damage control" by burning some of those extra calories.