For a diet to be successful, you need to rethink the way you eat food and exercise. Unless you expend more calories than you consume, you won’t lose weight. For many people, the only way this is going to happen is if they substantially reduce the volume of food they eat.
Most people in developed nations eat too much. Food is readily available, so it is easy to graze on snacks all day long and then pile our plates at dinner. It’s part of the reason why obesity is becoming such a serious problem in the US. Portions are increasing and many of us don’t know when to stop eating. The problem is that when you cut down your calorie intake, your body isn’t used to such meager rations, so the hunger pangs kick in.
It will take a while to get used to eating less, but in the meantime, food cravings will inhabit your every waking thought. For many people, hunger is the hardest part of dieting, and it’s the main reason why diets never work for them. The good news is that you can beat the hunger pangs – and here’s how.
Drink Water
How much water do you drink? If you are not sure, then you probably aren’t drinking enough to stay hydrated. In many cases, hunger pangs are signals that we need to drink more water. Instead of reaching for a snack, drink a glass of chilled water instead. Your stomach will feel fuller and it should quiet the signals from your brain telling you to eat.
Experts recommend that we drink at least two liters of water per day. Fill up two one-liter drink bottles and aim to finish them by bedtime.
Food Psychology
The mind is a powerful tool and you can fool your brain into thinking you are not hungry. When you start feeling hunger pangs, think about the last meal you ate. Savor the details and remember how good it tasted. Research has shown that thinking about food helps to trick the body into believing it has just eaten. If all you ate was a salad, pretend you ate a huge bowl of pasta. You are less likely to feel hungry and snack.
Diet Supplements
Don’t dismiss the notion of appetite suppressants. Some of them, including Lovidia, are extremely helpful in curbing hunger pangs and enabling users to stick to a calorie controlled diet. However, if you are on existing medication or you have health issues, always consult your doctor before taking diet supplements.
Eat the Right Foods
There are some foods it is okay to eat in abundance. These include celery, watermelon, and salad greens. If you feel hungry, take some sticks of celery to work with you so you are not tempted to delve into the biscuit barrel at break time. Alternatively, pack a graze bowl of salad and watermelon slices. That way you can pig out, guilt-free.
If you’re really having trouble keeping away from fried and fatty foods, try investing in a healthier alternative to deep-frying. In the past few years, the best air fryers have become much less expensive. And the content of the food that’s produced can have 50% of the fat that you’ll get from a deep-frying session. This can be a happy medium if you’re really struggling to beat those hunger pangs.
Cut out artificial and high-calorie sweeteners
It’s no secret that one crucial part of any diet is withstanding sweet temptations. However, there’s an understanding that all sweeteners are better alternatives to sugary foods we tend to eat when the sweet tooth kicks in. While the goal is noble, many sweeteners still give a blood glucose boost and will make you feel sluggish after that. To remove the hunger pangs, you should also eliminate all sugars and artificial sweeteners from your diet. If you cannot go without sweeteners then prefer zero carb sugar substitutes, like stevia and allulose, that won’t make you feel worse afterward.
Motivation – or lack thereof – is the main reason why people fall off the diet wagon. Have an important goal and you are less likely to succumb to hunger pangs.
