5 Ways to Keep Hunger at Bay
‘Hit your macros, make it simple, look great naked.’ – Yusuf Paterson
Its Wednesday, you’ve made it to midweek eating super healthy Monday and Tuesday because lets face it like most of us you’ve over indulged a little over the weekend…
Now those cravings are kicking in. All you can hear is that voice in your head telling you to eat anything and everything that is in front of you or to go out and buy anything covered in chocolate goodness.
Hold that thought.
Here are some simple tips to keep those cravings at bay.
1. Plan your day in advance. Don’t log and track your macros as you go, it’s a surefire way of spending the latter half of the day eating broccoli and egg whites. Understand the nutritional content of the food you’re eating and it’s ability to affect your hunger and make intelligent decisions which will allow you to truly maximise the calorie budget you’re working with.
2. Eat plenty of fibre – fibre slows the digestion process, literally keeping the food inside you for longer. Plus, it helps you poo, so there’s really no reason not to include plenty of this in your diet. Aim for 10-15g fibre per 1000 calories as a general rule of thumb, but make sure the lid of the toilet bowl stays up if you’re towards the upper limit of that range and like to drink plenty of water. Which leads me to the next point:
3. Drink plenty of water. Whilst staying well hydrated may not necessarily directly affect hunger, it’ll help to ensure you aren’t confusing thirst for hunger, plus research suggests water-rich foods may assist with reducing calorie intake
4. Eat bigger meals. Seriously. Every time you eat, your body tells you you’re hungry. Reduce the frequency with which you do so and you’ll not only be able to eat bigger meals throughout the day, you’ll be able to truly satisfy your hunger by doing so and reduce the physiological ‘you’re hungry’ messages you keep sending your body.
5. Get enough sleep. Too little, and your appetite can increase whilst hormones associated with fullness can decrease. I must admit I am the worse at this one though.
Don’t let hunger get the better of you. Chances are, it’s a short term thing.
Diet with personal preference and practicality in mind – so long as you’re hitting your daily macronutrient requirements with your goals and activity levels in mind you’re going to get from point A to point B.
Make it as painless as possible, so that you can ensure it is a lifestyle change not just a quick fad.
Hit your macros, make it simple, look great naked.