Thursday, January 15, 2009

Learning to Curb Your Hunger

A lot of people have a hard time dieting simply because their hunger pangs can be too much to handle. Diet beginners feel that their body has gotten used to eating large servings of food multiple times a day that experience hunger pangs at hours when they would usually snack.

It is often this untimely hunger pangs that lead dieters to break their resolve and eat more than their supposed to. But fortunately, there are simple and easy ways to curb such hunger pangs.

To start off, you can learn how to discern actual hunger from simple cravings. For example, if you've just eaten an hour or two ago and you start feeling hungry again, let it pass. You still have enough food in your stomach that needs digesting.

Drink lots of water. If you are one who takes a while to get a full feeling, take a glass of water before your meal. It can trick your stomach into thinking it is full. Also, there are times that hunger pangs are mistaken signs of thirst. The next time you feel hungry, drink water and see if the feeling goes away.

Find healthy snack items. A piece of fruit, a slice of whole wheat bread, or raw vegetables like celery or carrots can be nutritious and tasty snack treats. They can fill you up and still provide you with the nutrients you need.

If you feel hungry, wait it out for ten minutes. Normal cravings only last for a short period of time. By the time your ten-minute wait is over, you would've found something else to do that would take your mind of the “hunger” you felt minutes ago.

Find something to do. Look for a book to read, watch television, take a walk around the park, or call a friend. Anything that takes your mind off of eating can help you get past the current hunger pang you're feeling.

Dieting will take a lot of out you, it will test your will and determination to see your weight loss goals through to the end. Know that even though sticking to your diet plan can be difficult, there are ways to stay with it.

No comments: