When you’re trying to maintain a healthy weight, you need to stay alert. A sudden hunger pang can undo all your hard work if you give in to temptation and gobble up a large bag of chips.
Luckily, there are many ways of reducing the number and strength of the pangs you feel through the day. There are also ways of getting through pangs without resorting to an instant energy hit. Here are a few ideas that will help you defeat sudden, irresistible hunger and keep your healthy weight goal on track.
Focus on fibre – Foods that are rich in fibre have many health benefits, but one of their most important qualities for weight management is that they’re digested more slowly, releasing their calories over a longer period. Slower digestion works to even out your blood sugar levels, helping to prevent the sudden pangs of lightheaded hunger that arrive when sugar levels fall too low. Slowly digested food keeps you feeling fuller for longer, compared to foods which release all their energy over a short period.
Eat in bulk – Another way to combat hunger pangs is to eat in bulk. This doesn’t mean to overload yourself with food, but to eat things which have plenty of volume but relatively low-calorie content.
Examples include celery, cucumber and spaghetti squash. The high-water content of these types of foods means eating them in volume will fill you up quickly without adding too many calories to your daily total.
Drink fluids – A quick solution to hunger pangs is to drink a large glass of cool water. The volume can be enough to temporarily fool your stomach that you’ve eaten, while the temperature difference provides a sensation which distracts from your hunger. What’s more, in some situations thirst can disguise itself as hunger. Making sure you’re always fully hydrated will help quash any mistaken appetite pangs you may be feeling.
Eat a healthy breakfast – Eating a small, low-fat breakfast can effectively stop cravings from building up over a morning, vastly reducing the amount of hunger you’ll feel before lunch comes around.
Don’t overdo caffeine – If you take on too much caffeine in too short a time, you’ll experience a crash as the stimulant leaves your system. You can feel tired, headachy, hungry and tempted to reach for a quick sugar lift. That’s not to say that you should avoid coffee altogether, but if you start to feel the negative effects, it’s wise to back off a little.
