Most of us who go on a diet are bound to experience some problems and sometimes we may suffer from hunger pains. This is because when people go on a diet, they only eat less and therefore they then feel hungry for extended periods of time and find it difficult to refrain from eating.
Most often, dieters tend to remember his or her commitment in losing weight in order to defeat hunger pangs and cravings. However, there are other ways one can do to ward off the temptations when dieting. Instead of eating less when dieting, one can eat up on foods that fill you up but with a minimal amount of calories.
Low-density foods are usually high in fibre.
Stock up Raw Vegetables
You can eat plenty of leafy vegetables and also raw vegetables. They are a great snack for dieters since they contain a lot of fibre and are almost calorie-free. Fibre is an important factor in every dieter. It will help in slowing digestion and make you feel fuller; therefore helping you to prevent overeating.
Here is a list of the best raw veggies:
- Cucumbers
- Carrots
- Jicama
- Celery
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Tomatoes
- Onions
- Lettuce
- Bell Peppers
Don’t like the taste?
You can stash them in stews, pasta sauces, soups, pizza or meatloaf. They’re high-volume, high-satisfaction, low-calorie vegetable superstars.
Enjoy A Hobby
Another proven way to fend off cravings is to find something else to get his or her mind from being hungry. A great way to do this is to take up a hobby or do something that involves hands on work.
You may want to draw, paint pictures, play video games or anything that you really enjoy. One of the biggest reasons why dieters give into hunger pangs or cravings is because of boredom. By distracting one’s self with something fun and exciting, one can avoid the hunger that is caused by boredom.
When you take up a hobby, you will feel that the hunger cravings pass since you are mentally caught up with what you are doing. I thought this was a long shot but it worked for me!
Water Helps
Many people confuse thirst for hunger. When you are dehydrated you won’t feel thirsty. Instead, you feel hungry that is why many dieters tend to eat when in fact all they need is water. When you’re hungry, you might want to drink something before eating. It would be smarter to do this to check whether or not you’re hungry or thirsty. Water boosts the rate of your metabolism naturally and helps you feel full when you’re hungry.
Bored with plain water?
Most people get bored with plain water easily so it might be better to try one of the calorie free flavoured waters. This will hydrate you well and help you refrain from eating. Since they are fruit flavoured, it may keep you away from higher sugar that dieters sometimes indulge in. I most often squeeze lemon into the water and I can do that as often as I like.
Pack up on Protein
Protein makes you feel full for a long period of time which makes you limit the amount of other foods you might take. Without enough protein, our body may break down faster than it can repair itself resulting in a lowered metabolism. Protein is needed by our bodies for muscles, skin, hair, etc. There are quite a lot to choose from in this food group, which includes lean red meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, beans, soy and especially salmon. Salmon will put you in a state of feeling satisfactorily full.
Can’t Help but Break your Rules? Do it the Healthy Way
If you can’t help but cheat (like me) or have decided to break the rules of your diet plan, do it with care. Choose healthy foods to cheat with. There is really nothing wrong when you give yourself a small, healthy treat on these occasions. Snacks that are enriched with fibre like grapes, strawberries, bananas, blueberries and oranges are a good choice. Small portions of breads and cereals that contain whole-grains are recommended too.
Beware, the less chemicals the better of course!
…keep well and stay well,
Ray Baker
PS. My eBook is below here so make sure you at least give it a shot – you won’t be sorry!