Hunger is one of the biggest challenges when it comes to adhering to a nutrition plan. When you’re hungry your body will encourage you to eat to suppress that hunger. Often the choices we make in this state and immediate and not well thought out (high calorie and low nutritional value foods).
By including certain things in your diet you can beat hunger.
Carbonated drinks – Diet drinks contain zero calories and the carbonation increases gastric activity which can lead to a feeling of fullness.
Intermittent fasting – reduce food intake to help reduce hunger?! Not eating until later on in the day enables you to have more of your food later on in the day thus helping with hunger
Go volume density, not calorie density – i.e. salads rather than nuts/chocolate etc.
Chew your food – eating slower and chewing food can reduce overall energy intake
Have a higher protein intake – Higher protein meals can cut hunger levels in half several hours after ingestion. Protein does this by suppressing your hunger hormone Ghrelin.
Embrace it – understand you will feel hungry whilst dieting and this hunger wave will pass.
Eat more fibre – fibre slows down gastric emptying making you feel fuller for longer. It is also high in volume so it fills you up.
Eat more fruit – when liver glycogen is depleted it will tell your brain you are hungry, fruit (not juice!) can help combat this
Have whey protein – reduces appetite and ad-lib energy intake
Eat a salad before your meal – studies show that salad before the main meal can reduce overall energy intake
Drink water – will help you feel fuller.
Caffeinated drinks (genetic dependant) – Caffeiene for most has an appetite suppressant quality. Having these will also aid hydration adding to a feeling of fullness.
Exercise – this tip depends on the individual! some people are compensator’s who after exercise crave higher fat or sugary food [usually higher calorie content], so beware!