I Hate Being Hungry While Losing Weight
How To Curb Appetite And Stop Being Hungry
To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.
Francois de La Rochefoucauld ‧ French author of maxims and memoirs
When faced with a weight loss goal, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Often, dieting takes a while to work, especially if you aren’t pairing it with exercise. If you really want to see some major progress, you might want to consider learning ways to curb your appetite naturally.
Just because you're hungry doesn't mean you have to eat. And while it's important to eat balanced meals throughout the day, you want to make sure you don't give in to your cravings. Reduce the chances of cravings by taking these steps to control your appetite.
Being able to eat less is important for most women in order to keep the weight off for good or maintain the current weight. This probably means eating less regularly. It may not be the easiest thing to do, but it's worth the effort to do everything you can to keep your weight down.
Video Overview
#1. Drink Water Throughout The Day
The body often misinterprets the signals for hunger and dehydration. For example, it’s common to feel hungry when you are actually just thirsty. To avoid this confusion and control your appetite, it is important to stay hydrated throughout the day.
One simple yet highly effective tactic is to drink a glass of water before each meal, as this can make you feel fuller.
This demonstrates that sometimes the simplest solutions are the most effective. Instead of reaching for a snack, drinking a glass of water first can curb cravings without adding a single calorie. This often-overlooked habit can be a surprisingly effective tool for managing hunger.
TIP: Have a glass of water before each meal to help keep hunger at bay.
#2. Skipping Breakfast Poses A Serious Health Risk
We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day – and for good reason! Having breakfast gets your metabolism going and helps reduce hunger throughout the day. However, the consequences of skipping breakfast extend far beyond mere appetite control.
Skipping breakfast regularly makes you more susceptible to weight gain and significantly increases your risk of developing serious health conditions, including atherosclerosis, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol.
This transforms breakfast from a mere weight management strategy into an essential component of long-term health. It's not just about feeling extra hungry by lunchtime; it's about safeguarding your cardiovascular system and metabolic health in the long term.
#3. Eat Healthy Fats And Protein
Eating more fat to lose weight may sound counterintuitive, but fat is crucial for making you feel full and satisfied. Clinical studies have shown that monounsaturated fats (MUFAs), such as those found in avocados, can significantly increase feelings of fullness when consumed alongside fibre.
Similarly, protein is a powerful nutrient that provides sustained energy and prevents hunger. Including protein-rich foods such as lean poultry, fish (like salmon or tuna), eggs, legumes (like beans), and high-satiety dairy products (like Greek yoghurt) in your meals will help you to feel fuller for longer by stabilising blood sugar.
This represents a critical mindset shift for many people who have been taught to avoid all fats while dieting. The key is to recognise that not all fats are created equal, and that healthy fats and adequate protein are essential allies in controlling your appetite and providing your body with the nutrients it needs.
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#4. Stop Sugar Cravings And Snack Less
One of the best methods to stop cravings and the feeling of insatiable hunger is to cut out added sugar and simple carbohydrates. Even excessive-sugar fruits, like pineapple and mango, can cause sugar cravings which could make you feel hungry whilst you are not.
If you want to keep your weight down, you should consider cutting down on snacking. It can be easy to grab a sugary or salty treat between meals, but if you do it regularly without thinking, you could end up putting on weight.
It's important to be mindful of what you put in your mouth if you want to eat less regularly. Aim for three meals a day to help you feel your best and prevent you from getting so hungry that you overeat.
TIP: It’s important to be mindful of what you put in your mouth at all times if you want to eat less on a regular basis.
#5. Get More Sleep
Two key hormones, ghrelin and leptin, regulate your body’s appetite. Ghrelin, also known as the 'hunger hormone', signals to your body that you need to eat. Its counterpart, leptin, tells your body when you're full.
When you don't get enough sleep, this delicate hormonal balance is disrupted. Your body produces more ghrelin and stops producing leptin, creating a physiological state in which you feel hungry all the time, even when you don't physically need food.
This is a crucial insight because it shifts the problem from a perceived failure of self-control to a tangible biological issue. So, if you're consistently feeling hungry, rather than trying harder, you should focus on getting better quality sleep. Prioritising at least eight hours of quality sleep per night is a fundamental, non-negotiable step in any effective weight management plan.
TIP: To maximise sleep quality and balance your hormones, try to go to bed at the same time each night, reduce your exposure to blue light for an hour before bedtime, and make sure your bedroom is cool and dark.
#6. The Simple Psychology Of Writing It Down
Keeping a food diary to track your daily calorie intake is a well-known way of managing your diet. However, the advantages of this practice extend beyond mere record-keeping.
There is a surprising psychological component to this practice: committing to writing down everything you eat can make you want to avoid extra food simply to avoid the task of logging it. This act of tracking fosters constant awareness of your consumption habits.
Thus, this simple tracking exercise becomes a powerful tool for mindfulness and behavioural modification. The process itself becomes a deterrent to mindless snacking and encourages you to make more conscious food choices, helping you to align your actions with your long-term goals.
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Your Action Plan For Managing Hunger
To bring it all together, here is a simple checklist of the most effective actions you can take to manage your appetite and feel in control.
- Prioritise protein, fibre and healthy fats at every meal.
- Drink a glass of water before eating.
- Always eat breakfast to kick-start your metabolism.
- Reduce your intake of added sugars and simple carbohydrates to minimise cravings.
- Aim for at least eight hours of quality sleep to balance your hunger hormones.
- Incorporate regular exercise or movement into your day.
The Bottom Line
Managing hunger does not require deprivation or extreme willpower; it is a skill that can be developed by making intelligent choices.
By focusing on filling foods, staying hydrated, prioritising sleep and keeping active, you can learn to work with your body's natural signals instead of fighting against them.
Armed with this knowledge, you can now distinguish between true physical hunger and other triggers, enabling you to achieve your goals while feeling energised and satisfied.
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FAQ
There are a number of ways to curb your appetite by controlling your nutrient intake and hormonal balance. Some of the most effective methods include:
- Prioritise protein, fibre, and healthy fats: fibre and protein take longer to digest, helping you feel fuller for longer. For more information on healthy fats, see the section on eating healthy fats and protein.
- Stay hydrated. Drinking water helps suppress your appetite. TIP: Have a glass of water before each meal.
- Manage your sugar intake. Avoid sugary drinks to prevent blood sugar spikes. See the section 'Stop Sugar Cravings and Snack Less'.
- Practice mindful eating: Eating slowly gives your body time to register when you're full.
- Manage stress: Stress can lead to an increased appetite, so find healthy ways to manage it, such as yoga or meditation.
If you're constantly hungry, it may be a sign that you're not eating enough protein or fiber. It's also important to make sure you're drinking enough water. If you're still hungry after eating a balanced diet and drinking plenty of water, talk to your doctor. There may be an underlying medical condition that's causing your hunger.
There are several natural appetite suppressants, including:
- Caffeine and Green Tea: Both contain caffeine, which can boost your metabolism and suppress appetite. Green tea also contains catechins.
- Chromium: This mineral helps to regulate blood sugar levels. Stable blood sugar is key because low blood sugar can lead directly to hunger pangs.
- L-glutamine: This amino acid supports muscle tissue repair. Increased muscle mass can help boost metabolism and reduce appetite.
- Ginger: Can help improve digestion and reduce nausea, leading to decreased appetite.
These natural aids work by influencing metabolism, digestion, or blood sugar, all of which are critical to managing the balance between the hunger hormone ghrelin and the fullness hormone leptin."
Some of the side effects of appetite suppressants can include:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Dry mouth
- Insomnia
- Nausea
- Constipation
- Increased heart rate
- Anxiety
- Depression
It's important to talk to your doctor before taking any appetite suppressant, as they can have serious side effects for some people.
Apart from the tips mentioned above, here are some other things you can do to curb your appetite:
- Get enough sleep: When you're sleep-deprived, your body produces more of the hunger hormone ghrelin. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
- Exercise regularly: Exercise can help to boost your metabolism and reduce your appetite. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week.
- Manage stress: Stress can lead to increased appetite. Find healthy ways to manage stress, such as exercise, yoga, or meditation.
- Eat mindfully: When you eat mindfully, you focus on the taste, texture, and smell of your food. This can help you to appreciate your food more and eat less.
- Avoid distractions while eating: When you eat while watching TV or working on your computer, you're more likely to overeat. Make sure to focus on your food when you're eating.
If you're trying to lose weight, it's important to make sure you're still getting enough food. Here are a few tips:
- Eat small, frequent meals throughout the day.
- Choose healthy, high-fiber foods that will keep you feeling full.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Avoid sugary drinks and processed foods.
- Listen to your body and eat when you're hungry.
If you're still concerned about getting enough food, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian. They can help you create a healthy eating plan that meets.
The key to managing your appetite lies in making intelligent choices, not depriving yourself. If you haven't reviewed the fundamental steps yet, we recommend starting with the comprehensive 'Your Action Plan for Managing Hunger' checklist, which includes prioritising sleep and healthy foods. Ready to take your weight loss to the next level? Join us now to receive our top 10 tips for achieving long-term weight loss.