Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: The Right Serving Size
• Part 2 of 3: The Right Food Combinations
• Part 3 of 3: Mindfulness about food intake
• Tips

If you are trying to lose weight or do not want to gain weight, you need to be able to cope with hunger. It is not very pleasant to experience hunger all day long, not knowing how to cope with it, and still not breaking your diet. This article provides simple methods to help you satisfy your hunger without gaining weight and following a healthy diet.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: The Right Serving Size

1. 1 Measure the size of the portions. By sticking to the correct portion size, you will avoid overeating and gaining excess weight.
   • Typically, one meal should include at least 85-140 grams of lean protein, 1 serving (about 1 cup) vegetables, and 1 serving (about 1/2 cup) cereals.
   • Purchase a kitchen scale or measuring glasses to accurately measure the amount of food. Plastic containers or bowls with a scale will also work.
   • Weigh protein foods before cooking, raw.
   • Eat enough food. Some diets and weight loss programs are too small for portion sizes. If you are malnourished, you will feel hungry all the time.
   • Diets and nutrition programs that include skipping meals, restricting liquids or fasting can make you feel hungry throughout the day. Typically, these diets are unsafe for your health.
2. 2 Eat enough protein. When limiting calories or serving size, you may be deficient in protein. This will make you feel more hungry and make you feel less comfortable throughout the day. Adequate protein foods will satisfy your hunger and ensure that you burn fat rather than losing muscle mass while losing weight.
   • Men should consume about 65 and women about 50 grams of protein daily.
   • Keep track of your protein intake with a calorie and nutrient calculator available on the Internet or installed on your mobile phone. Set your daily quota and try to keep it.
   • Eat protein with every meal. This way it will be easier for you to limit yourself to the minimum amount of food.
3. 3 Have a snack. After eating a small portion, you will soon feel hungry again. If you don't muffle it with a small snack, it will be more difficult for you to control yourself the next time you eat.
   • A snack is not intended to replace a full meal. The purpose of snacking in between is to dampen hunger and support metabolism.
   • For small snacks, you should also monitor portion sizes or calories. Try to have no more than 200 calories in each snack.
   • Include protein foods, vegetables and fruits in your snacks. This combination will help you stay full longer. The following foods work well: Greek yogurt with fruit; carrots with hummus; a small apple and a slice of cheese; hard boiled egg and grapes; pumpkin seeds with dried fruits.
4. 4 Drink in small sips. At first, it will be difficult for you to stick to small portions. Try drinking a clean, sugar-free beverage slowly before meals and snacks. This will help to dampen your hunger and make it easier for you to get by with a small portion.
   • Take your time drinking water, low-fat or skim milk, sugar-free coffee or tea, or a low-calorie sports drink.
   • You can even sip vegetable and low-calorie broths and pureed soups.
   SPECIALIST'S ADVICE

   

   Claudia Carberry, RD, MS

   
   
   M.Sc. in Nutrition, University of Tennessee at Knoxville Claudia Carberry is a Registered Dietitian specializing in kidney transplant patient care and weight loss counseling at the University of Arkansas Medical. He is a member of the Arkansas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She received her MA in Nutritional Science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2010.

   Claudia Carberry, RD, MS
   Master of Science in Nutrition, University of Tennessee at Knoxville

   Are you really hungry? Claudia Carberry, Registered Dietitian, explains: “Many people confuse hunger with thirst. Drink enough throughout the day so you don't eat when you're not really hungry. "

5. 5 Remove excess and leftover food. After measuring the required portion, remove excess food.This will keep you from the temptation to eat them.
   • After preparing the dish, place it on a plate and hide the excess in the refrigerator.
   • Also measure out the correct amount for snacks. Do not eat out of the box or bag, as in this case you cannot see how much you have eaten, and it will be very difficult for you to comply with the measure.
   • When you feel that you have satisfied your hunger, immediately empty your plate. Thus, you will resist the temptation to finish eating everything after you have already satisfied your hunger.
6. 6 Purchase small plates and bowls. Smaller pans will visually increase the volume of your meals. This simple psychological trick will help you eat less.
   • Use small plates for appetizers or salads for main dishes.
   • If you don't have small plates and use regular plates, use 20% less.

Part 2 of 3: The Right Food Combinations

1. 1 Eat protein and complex carbohydrates at every main meal. Research has shown that protein foods tend to make you feel fuller for longer than foods that are mostly carbohydrates. In addition, whole grains, fruits and vegetables contain complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, and other nutrients to help you stay fuller longer.
   • Healthy fats can also help satisfy your hunger without overeating. Combine protein foods with complex carbohydrates OR healthy fats.
   • Lean protein foods include poultry, lean beef, fish, shellfish, nuts, lentils, beans, and low-fat dairy products. Include these protein-rich foods in your diet.
   • Foods such as berries, lentils, beans, whole grains (such as oats or brown rice), and broccoli are high in fiber and complex carbohydrates.
   • A good mix of protein and complex carbohydrates is the following combinations: whole wheat English muffin with low-fat cheese and scrambled eggs, oatmeal with fruits and nuts, salad of greens and raw vegetables, grilled chicken with low-fat side dish, tortillas made from whole wheat with gourmet meats, brown rice with low-fat cheese and lettuce, or oil-fried shrimps and vegetables.
   • For a snack, you can use the following protein / complex carbohydrate combinations: Fruit yogurt and whole grain granola, hummus carrots, peanut butter apple, chopped raw vegetables with low-fat dressing, and a slice of cheese.
2. 2 Avoid carbohydrate-rich foods. Unlike a combination of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, foods that are high in carbohydrates or are mostly carbohydrates and low in protein and fats provide relatively short-term feelings of fullness.
   • A lot of carbohydrates are found in the following foods: bread, rice, pasta, tortillas, beans, potatoes, corn, lentils.
   • Try to have 1/3 of your diet high in carbohydrates.
   • In addition to fruits and vegetables, you should include lean protein foods in every meal. About half of all meals and snacks should be protein foods.
3. 3 Choose whole foods over processed foods. You should limit the consumption of highly processed foods (even low-calorie ones) as much as possible. Studies have shown that these types of foods bring only a short-term feeling of fullness. When you consume these foods, your body has to recycle large amounts of waste in order to extract useful nutrients from them. After such food, dissatisfaction and a feeling of hunger are often felt. To avoid this, eat whole foods.
   • Typically processed foods contain a large amount of additives (flavors and colors) and preservatives. These products underwent many changes before they got their final look.
   • Highly processed foods include the following foods: various desserts, refined grains (such as bread or white rice), canned foods, chips and cookies.
   • BOThe majority of your diet should be whole foods and minimally processed foods. These include fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, fresh or frozen lean protein foods, whole grain breads and pasta, nuts, and dairy products.
4. 4 Drink 1.8 liters of fluid a day. Even a slight lack of fluid in your body can make you feel hungry, which will disappear after a few sips of water. To avoid this deceptive feeling of hunger, drink plenty of fluids throughout the day.
   • Keep a bottle of water with you so that you can quench your thirst at any time. It will also help you keep track of your daily fluid intake.
   • If you don't like drinking plain water, you can replace it with diet iced tea, sugar-free coffee, lemon water, or other natural supplements.

Part 3 of 3: Mindfulness about food intake

1. 1 Write down your definition of hunger. When feeling hungry, it can be difficult to limit yourself to a small portion or skip a snack. However, one should clearly understand what real physiological hunger is. In addition to this actual feeling of hunger, you may feel "hungry" due to boredom, stress, or irritation.
   • Physiological hunger comes gradually. It is accompanied by a feeling of emptiness in the stomach, and sometimes rumbling and other sounds in the abdomen. Physiological hunger goes away after eating even a small amount of food.
   • Physiological hunger can occur several hours after the last meal. In this case, take a light snack or eat if it's time.
   • If you find yourself feeling "hungry" without the hallmarks of physiological hunger, consider what might have triggered this deceiving feeling.
   • Remember, hunger is natural. It should be present before meals, and you may feel hungry while sleeping. This is completely normal and natural.
2. 2 Eat while sitting. Avoid snacking in the car, during a work meeting, or in front of the TV. Sit down and focus on food. This will help you to be satisfied with smaller portions.
   • Go ahead and disconnect from the outside world. Turn off your TV, computer and phone so that nothing distracts you from your meals.
   • Make it a rule to eat only at the table. This way you avoid unnecessary meals and snacks.
3. 3 Eat slowly. Commit to eating for at least 20 minutes. This time is enough for your stomach to have time to signal your brain that you are full.
   • Try to make the environment conducive to food intake. Do not eat while working or in front of the TV screen. Sitting at the dining table, do not get up until you are finished eating. Take time to eat while enjoying it. You will be able to appreciate the food and fill up faster if you savor every bite.
   • To take your time and control the time, use a timer or alarm clock.
   • After putting another piece in your mouth, place the fork on the table. Take short breaks during your meal, drinking a couple of sips of water and chatting with those at the table.
   • To slow down your meal, put small pieces in your mouth and chew them at least 20 times.

Tips

• Switch to healthier snacks such as fresh fruit and yogurt instead of ice cream, chips, cookies, and other not-so-healthy foods.
• Sometimes hunger is triggered by thirst. Drink a glass of water before snacking.
• If you are right-handed, try eating with your left hand (and vice versa) to slow down your meal. The faster you eat, the more likely you are to overeat. Take a fork in your other hand and eat slowly.
• Eat more protein.The feeling of hunger is satisfied mainly with proteins, and not with the total number of calories.