How to Outsmart Hunger When Trying to Lose Weight
By Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD
When you’re trying to lose weight, you may feel like you need to ignore hunger or control it as much as possible. On the other hand, getting too hungry and then overeating can actually hinder your progress and push you further from reaching your goals. It can be challenging to understand your appetite and what your body needs.
Instead of falling into a cycle of under- or overeating due to ignoring hunger cues, there are plenty of strategies you can use to outsmart hunger and manage appetite in healthy ways. Here are 8 helpful tips.
1 – Build meals around foods with fiber and protein.
The types of foods you choose to eat are so important for satisfying your hunger. Meals with nutritious sources of fiber and protein are going to keep you fuller than a plate of sugary foods, refined carbohydrates, no veggies or fruits, and minimal amounts of protein. Protein is known to increase satiety, while fiber-rich carbohydrates take a longer time to digest than refined ones.
When making a weight loss meal plan, start by filling half of your plate with vegetables, a quarter of the plate with complex carbohydrates like whole grains or fruit, and the last quarter with a protein. Add some healthy fat, such as avocado or olive oil used in a dressing, for additional staying power that will keep you satisfied until the next meal!
2 – Stay hydrated.
By now, you probably know the importance of staying hydrated for general health and energy. However, it also plays a vital role in managing hunger. While it’s never beneficial to ignore actual hunger cues, you may want to assess your daily fluid intake before reaching for another snack. Sometimes, a glass of water may be what your body needs at the moment. Try sparkling water, herbal tea, or regular water infused with herbs and frozen fruit to mix it up. After a few minutes, check in to see if you still feel hungry.
3 – Eat slowly.
For some people, eating quickly is an old habit that dies hard. It can be difficult to slow down at mealtime and savor the foods on your plate, especially if you are used to quick meals and have a busy schedule. Still, even spending a few more minutes to enjoy what you’re eating can make a difference in how you feel afterwards. By slowing down, you may find that you already feel satisfied even if there is still food on your plate. Your hunger will be met and you won’t walk away feeling uncomfortably full.
4 – Chew your food.
Eating slowly goes hand in hand with taking more time to chew your food. Research suggests that increasing the number of chews per bite may improve satiety due to how the process influences gut hormones and sends signals in the body. As a result, people who chew more may also eat less. So if you’re working on managing hunger, the answer just might be in how you work your jaw.
5 – Keep moving!
Exercise is a powerful tool, with benefits that include curbing your appetite. However, it’s important to eat enough (and the right types of foods!) before and after exercise to prevent getting too hungry from working out. If you eat balanced meals with plenty of protein, fiber, and healthy carbohydrates, physical activity can help reduce appetite and prevent overeating by suppressing hunger hormones. But if you snack on less filling foods or don’t get enough of a certain macronutrient, exercise may just make you overly hungry.
If it’s been a while since you ate and you want to exercise, try a small snack with carbohydrates and some protein beforehand. This will boost your energy levels during your workout and may prevent you from overeating afterwards. On the other hand, if it’s only been an hour or two since you ate and you plan to eat another meal after your workout, consider exercising without a pre-workout snack.
6 – Manage stress as best as possible.
Too much stress may have a myriad of negative effects, one of which is an impact on appetite. Some people find that stress makes them overly hungry, while others skip meals when they’re anxious or overrun. Both of these situations can disturb normal hunger cues and make it difficult to eat enough or stop overeating. To help reduce stress, try incorporating more activity throughout the day, spending time outdoors, and cutting back on news consumption. For more tips, see our blog post on stress and weight loss.
7 – Reconsider how often you have treats.
If you consistently have a sweet treat after meals, your body may grow to expect it. In some cases, this may impact satiety and prevent you from feeling full after eating unless you follow it up with something sweet. While occasional treats are totally fair game, you may want to reconsider how often you reward yourself with food. Too many desserts can hinder weight loss progress.
Instead of having dessert two times a day at lunch and dinner, work on dropping down to once a day. If you forego a mid-day dessert and feel a sugar craving coming on in the afternoon, reach for some fresh fruit or dark chocolate paired with a source of protein. For instance, try berries and cottage cheese, dark chocolate and almonds, or a fruit and yogurt smoothie. As you start to get used to fewer sweet treats per day, consider gradually limiting dessert to a few days a week.
8 – Make sure you get quality sleep.
Even though it happens outside of the kitchen, getting quality sleep is one of the most important things you can do to manage hunger. Some research suggests that when you don’t get enough sleep, your body releases more hunger hormones. What’s more, most people crave high-carb or sugary foods when they’re tired. Both of these consequences make it difficult to satisfy appetite and avoid overeating when you’re running on fumes.
To set yourself up for sleeping success, make sure your room is at a comfortable temperature, avoid sugary foods, alcohol, and caffeine late in the day, and limit screen time at night. For more tips, see our blog post on sleep and weight loss.
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