By Hunger ruins the best intentions when you’re trying to lose weight.
When I was a “calorie & portion reducer”, hunger seemed to rule my world — day in day out.I would offset this by chewing gum and drinking lots of water all the time. It became a vicious circle. The truth is that any food reduction will immediately trigger the body’s hunger to keep that setpoint of food consumption in balance. The same occurs when you eat less. Your body then decides to hold onto the food, store it as body fat, or use it for energy. There are a few ways to reduce your food portions without causing too many hunger rumbles and junk food daydreams. I have tried these myself, and I will give my most practical and easily adaptable advice that anyone can use in their daily lives.
Four ways to increase fat loss & keep your appetite under control
Option One: Eat more protein sources
Protein has the natural ability to diminish hunger pangs and keep you full for extended periods. Protein takes a lot longer to digest than carbs, and it can suppress appetite and keep your blood sugar steady throughout the day. You can even go one step up from this and eat low-fat sources to help reduce your caloric intake. For instance, utilise the power of eggs, seafood and poultry regularly. These sources are lighter, contain fewer calories and are still delicious. Eggs are especially magical for their filling power — plus, eggs are entirely portable. A colleague of mine would microwave two boiled eggs as a snack when she got to the office. It was great for her, as she was always so busy in meetings and didn’t have time to eat.
Option Two: Intermittently fast
You might be thinking that IF would cause you to feel starving! Well, yes and no. If you are a beginner, your body will take some time to adjust to this new eating schedule. However, fasting is known to regulate appetite and control hunger. The trick is to maintain a consistent schedule and do this as part of a lifestyle plan — rather than a quick fix. Fasting provides the best fat loss and health benefits if it’s something you would be willing to adapt to every single day. I have been fasting for years, and my appetite has dramatically reduced. Prior, I was plagued by extreme cravings, hunger and food obsessions all the time. Now I feel that my appetite has normalised, and I’m not too fussed with extreme hunger anymore. You become less consumed by how you think because now you’re in control. The thought of being in control of your appetite seems a little off the charts, but it’s true — and that’s why I’m forever advocating fasting as an essential part of everyone life.
Option Three: Fill up on vegetables
Veggies are great because they are low in calories and have high levels of fibre — which naturally keeps the hunger away. Filling up on greens, both raw and baked, makes a big difference to your appetite. I also love veggie soups made with water or bone broth. They are delicious, low calories and very filling. In addition, soups can be quite healing in our gut. In my own experience, soups help ease the gut’s work and give it some form of a holiday. You will be amazed at how clear your mind is and that your digestion will improve.
Option Four: Eat lots of salads
Salads can help you eat fewer overall calories (when combined with other meals as a starter). In addition, salads promote satiety because items like lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers have higher water content. Combine that with some nice fat like avocado, and you have a meal made in heaven! You could even combine salad with a sprinkling of nuts such as pumpkin and pepita seeds. But, of course, raw salads provide the most nutrient-dense options and add colours into the mix, like carrots and cabbage. If you combine these four options regularly — to get a balance and variety from your food choices, you will have no problem taming those hunger pangs. It does take time and a little bit of perseverance — but it is worth every single effort in the end. All of the foods chosen here provide an abundance of nutrient value to anyone. The weight loss benefits are a small part of the equation — think about all the health and lifestyle benefits you will possess? Again, it’s worth a try
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