It's inevitable, there will be some hunger and cravings when you're trying to lose weight. For most people, feeling hungry is very uncomfortable which leads them to indulge and negate their weight loss efforts. What's happening when you're losing weight is that your body is trying to preserve its fat stores in case of a real famine.
When you're dieting, you have to eat in a calorie deficit to lose weight so your body interprets this as if there is no more food available. The hunger hormone known as ghrelin increases and causes you to feel that grumbling tummy and seek out food in order to save your life.
Unfortunately our bodies don't realize we are really just trying to shed some pounds and no, we aren't actually dying. The leaner you get though (think those last 10lbs), the more hunger you will feel.
This hungry feeling is a survival mechanism so don't worry, you're not alone with this feeling. Here are some tips you can use to help you feel full and quell cravings even when you're dieting.
Tip 1: Volume
Sometimes simply filling up your stomach with high volume foods does the trick.
A volume food is something that is low in calories but is high in quantity/mass.
A great example of a volume food is vegetables. Eating a large bowl of sliced cucumber or celery sticks will not derail your diet because they are so low in calories and are filling.
You'd be amazed at how adding 4-5 servings of vegetables a day can do wonders for cravings and keep you feeling full.
Here are some more examples of volume foods:
• spaghetti squash
• kelp or konjac noodles (low carbohydrate noodles)
• puffed rice, quinoa or millet
• pickles
• replacing oils with applesauce in baking recipes at a 1:1 ratio
Tip 2: Fluids
Try drinking water when you feel hungry. It is common to mistake hunger for thirst. When we fill our stomachs with water this can help keep that hunger feeling at bay.
It's also a tactic to keep us feeling full so we won't eat more food than we should.
Here are some more examples of fluids you can have to help with hunger and cravings:
• plain tea
• black coffee (try using a zero calorie sweetener such as stevia)
• any 0 calorie beverage such as natural sodas (Zevia) or natural sparkling fruit waters
Tip 3: Stay Busy
Have you ever had a long, busy day that you came home from and said, "Wow, I didn't even eat today"? You were completely occupied that you didn't have time to eat.
This is a good strategy to implement to deal with cravings - keep yourself busy.
Here are some things you can do to redirect your focus from cravings and the "dieting hunger":
• get out of the kitchen or even out of the house
• go for a walk or bicycle ride
• exercise
• walk the dog
• visit or call a friend
• clean and/or organize your home
• do any activity that you love such as singing, dancing, painting, knitting, playing a game, or watching a movie
• work on a project you've been meaning to get to
Losing weight has pros and cons but keep in mind that losing weight is temporary, and when you've achieved your goals you can slightly increase calories again. Stay disciplined, focused and consistent and you will reach your goals.
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9734322
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