Controlling Hunger to Lose Weight

Overview
Maybe you are struggling to lose weight but find it hard to do because you are always hungry. And it's hard to control how much you eat when you're hungry. But what if there was a way that you could curb your appetite and eat less at lunch or dinner. This might actually help you to lose the weight. Here are a few ideas that have worked for others and could work for you. It's worth a try.


Drink More Fluids
Water. Drinking a glass or two of water about 30 minutes before you eat will help you feel full, reduce your hunger and cause you to eat less. This could make a big difference in how many calories you consume and make it easier for you to lose weight.

Coffee or tea. In addition to water, you can drink plain coffee or tea. These beverages can be quite soothing, help you to relax, and ease any tension or stress you might be feeling. So, you would be less tempted to fill up on high-calorie comfort food.

Broth. Having a cup or two of broth or chicken before your meal is yet another way to fill up on no-calorie or low-calorie foods, which in turn can help to eat less and control the amount of calories that you consume for the day.

Other soups. Heavier soups, like lentil, bean, vegetable, chicken or fish soup may contain more calories than the water, tea, coffee or broth mentioned earlier. But that is no reason to rule them out. Actually, it makes good sense to include these soups as part of your weight-loss strategy because they are more filling and can therefore help you to eat less of other high-calorie, less nutritious options. These soups are also high in fiber, which means they can keep you feeling full longer. So whether you use them as an appetizer, or as part of the main course, they can prove to be valuable in helping you to fight hunger and keep the calories down.

Snacks
There will be times when you are feeling hungry an hour or two before your next meal and want something to eat other than the food and drink mentioned above. Instead of reaching for high-calorie, sugary and/or high fat snacks, reach for something that will not trigger a rapid rise and fall in your blood sugar.

Unbuttered popcorn, nuts and seeds.  Foods like popcorn, nuts and seeds make great snacks when you are trying to stave off hunger. They are high in fiber and will contribute a few grams of healthy fat. Don't be alarmed by the fat in nuts. The amount you get from one or two ounces will be more than compensated for by the amount of food you are able to cut back at your next meal. Besides, it's nothing you cannot burn off with a few minutes of brisk walking or stair climbing.

What about fruits and whole grains? There is a place in a healthy diet for fruits and grains, just as there is for dairy and meat, fish and eggs. But keep in mind that sugars and starches can cause an increase in blood sugar, followed by a rapid fall. When your blood sugar falls, you could cause you to overeat. This is just what you are trying to avoid if you find yourself frequently hungry at mealtime. On the other hand, if these foods keep you satisfied and are not hunger triggers, you could include them as part of your effort to curb hunger pangs.

Summary

Give yourself the winning edge by drinking water or consuming other filling foods that provide lots of fluid and fiber, without the unwanted calories. Then when you sit down to a meal, you can enjoy the food without stuffing yourself with unwanted calories and increase your chance of losing weight.

7 Keys to Losing Weight and Keeping It Off

Overview

If you have ever tried to lose weight, you know that it is a huge challenge. But it's a challenge that is well worth the effort. Just think of the rewards: feeling good, looking your best, enjoying better health, fun times with family and friends, radiance, increased lifespan, less sick days and lower medical bills. Who won't want all those things.

Here are a few tips to help you meet the challenge:

1. Look in the mirror. Have a frank talk with the person looking back at you. Then make the commitment; but only if you are ready to make the leap. Otherwise, you could be setting yourself up for another round of disappointments.

2. Assess your needs. Try to understand what caused you to gain the weight in the first place, why you have not been able to lose the weight, or if you did, why you couldn't keep it off. This will help you to figure out what you need to do this time to achieve real, lasting success.

3. Write down your goals. Set goals that are fairly easy to achieve. Then, as you accomplish one goal you can aim for another, perhaps aiming for greater results as you go along. Don't set yourself up for disappointment by aiming for results that you know are unattainable.

4. Pay attention to what you eat. You shopping list should reflect your new weight and health goals. Your cupboard should do the same. So should the food on your plate and the snacks you consume.

5. Take a walk. You don't have to start your weight loss program by overdoing it when it comes to exercising. If you have been pretty inactive, taking a brisk walk around your home or apartment complex might be a good place to start. You can increase the amount of time and intensity of the exercise as you get more physically fit.

6. Drink up. You can trick yourself into eating less by drinking water a few minutes before a meal. This will make you feel full and thus, reduce the amount of food that you actually consume. You should also drink water between meals, especially if you begin to feel hungry, since the sensation of hunger might really be a sign of thirst.

7. Get some sleep. Lack of sleep can disrupt the hormones in your body that regulate your appetite and signal that you are full so that you do not overeat. Your stress hormones are also affected by lack of sleep. So, be good to yourself and get your zzz’s.