Losing Weight, Dieting & Controlling Hunger

When you’re losing weight through careful dieting & exercise, controlling hunger can become a major obstacle to your fitness goals if it pops up so frequently that it keeps food on your mind during too much of the day. Thankfully, there are a number of things you can do to keep hunger in check so that you don’t find yourself sitting on the couch with a half-finished (but newly opened) gallon of ice cream.

High Protein Pancakes Make a Great Breakfast

High Protein Pancakes Make a Great Breakfast

Let’s start with the start of your day: don’t skip breakfast. For some reason, people concerned with their weight often skip breakfast. This is unfortunate because studies have shown that people who skip breakfast tend to eat more calories throughout the day than people who don’t. Your metabolism, your blood sugar, and your mood all suffer when you skip breakfast. Although you may think you’re saving yourself a few calories, you’re actually just setting yourself up to eat more later, and to burn less. Breakfast is an important way to jump-start your metabolism and to keep your blood sugar stable.

Speaking of blood sugar, wild swings in blood sugar can cause you to experience deep hunger and cravings. When your blood sugar is crashing, your body sends you some of the strongest hunger signals, and this can override all of your best intentions. To help keep your blood sugar stable, avoid having too many simple sugars. These can cause your blood sugar to spike and then to crash when your pancreas responds by secreting more insulin than is needed to cope with the excess blood sugar. Sooner than later, you end up on the prowl for another sweet bite and the process starts over. Make sure that your meals and snacks contain a good balance of protein, healthy fats, fiber, and complex carbohydrates.

Another way to keep your blood sugar stable is to eat 5 to 6 smaller meals a day instead of 2 or 3 large meals. Having a regular supply of food spaced throughout the day will help keep your blood sugar steady and, because you are eating regularly, you won’t feel deprived. Eat while your hunger is still at a reasonable level, so that you are not so ravenously hungry that you overeat. Keep a healthy snack in your purse, desk drawer, and wherever else you can think of so that when you need to eat, something is on hand. Trying to deprive yourself to the point that you end up binging or making poor food choices can only set you back.

Finally, make sure that you drink enough water. As we’ve seen in a previous article, thirst can be mistaken for hunger and you may end up eating unnecessary calories when all your body really needs is a tall glass of water.

It’s a common belief that changing your eating habits and feeling hungry go hand in hand. Thankfully, this just isn’t the case. You can control your hunger by planning ahead and making a few changes that will help you stay satisfied and comfortable, while still helping you reshape your body and improve your health.

Following a healthy fitness plan which includes a good nutrition plan will help you control any hunger pangs. In fact, many people following a well constructed fitness program often find it a challenge to eat as much as they need to! Give it a try & see for yourself.