How To Keep Hunger At Bay?

How to keep hunger at bay without cutting calories?

Most of us know to lose weight, we have to burn more calories than we consume. Generally speaking, a deficit of 500 calories per day will result in about a pound of weight lost per week. But as we also know, when cutting out calories we can feel hungrier than when we were eating more. So what is the secret to keeping hunger at bay when on a weight reduction plan?

Actually there are two: staying hydrated and eating fiber-rich foods.

Staying hydrated

As odd as it may sound, the hunger pangs you are feeling might not be hunger at all. Sometimes they are a signal that you are dehydrated. To find out if you are really hungry or not, try drinking an 8-ounce glass of water and wait 20 minutes.

Drinking water – plain or carbonated – is the best. Stay away from other types of drinks which can be loaded with sugar and calories. They may satisfy you now, but as soon as your body digests the simple carbohydrates in the drink (sugar) you will be hungry again.

If the hunger pangs go away after drinking a glass of water and waiting, then you were just thirsty. If you are truly hungry, the water will not stop the hunger you are feeling and you should probably eat something. Now let’s talk about what that something should be.

Eat fiber-rich foods

There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Both are beneficial. Spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, watermelon, apples, beans and peas are all good sources of soluble fiber. The skins of fruits and hulls found in seeds and grains, like whole-grain bread and brown rice, are good sources of insoluble fiber. In the case of apples, if you eat it with the skin on, you get both kinds of fiber.

The main purpose of eating fiber is because it keeps you feeling full longer, thus reducing the urge to snack on unhealthy foods.

Other health benefits besides helping you lose weight include keeping you regular, reducing cholesterol, keeping sugar spikes under control.

Once eaten, soluble fiber and the other foods eaten with it turns to a gel-like substance, thus slowing down digestion of everything you ate. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your stool so it can help push foods through your system faster as it makes its way through the digestive system.

By staying hydrated with water and eating a diet high in fiber, weight loss, or weight management once at goal, becomes easier – still not easy, but easier. You will be able to lose weight with fewer hunger pangs, which makes sticking to a healthy diet more enjoyable.