If you’re trying to lose weight, hunger can be the bane of your existence. How are you supposed to live a healthy lifestyle if it seems you’re always craving a snack? Hunger is our body’s way of telling us it’s time to eat, but there’s a chance you could be misreading that signal and doing things that will only make you hungrier. Here are some things you should be doing to achieve a greater sense of fullness throughout the day.
Drink Plenty of Water
Are you drinking your daily recommended dose of water? If not, there’s a good chance that you’re dehydrated, even if you don’t realize its subtle effects. Mild dehydration causes fatigue, weakness, and hunger. So, when you feel hungry throughout the day, it might just be your body signaling that it needs water. Make it a regular habit to sip on water throughout the day, even when you’re not hungry.
Eat Low-Calorie Snacks
Sometimes, you just need a bit of a snack to rein in those hunger pangs. If you’re going to snack, you might as well make it a good one. Rather than hitting up the vending machine for a high-calorie, low-filling bag of processed junk, go with some whole foods instead. Eat an apple, much on some celery, or pop some grapes. While you might not get that immediate satisfaction (and proceeding regret) that you do from mowing down on a bag of potato chips, the good carbs in these whole foods will give you a longer-lasting sense of fullness.
Change Your Diet
If snacks aren’t cutting it and you’re still feeling peckish, you might need to take a step back and look at your overall diet. Are you eating foods that keep you full, or are you eating quicker and easier when you shouldn’t necessarily be? As with your snacks, stick to meals that consist of real, whole foods rather than rely on easier meals that might not be as satisfying in the long run.
Get Active
It’s not just the food you eat that keeps you full or hungry. Healthiness is a full-body equation, and you need to also consider how active a lifestyle you lead. While a more active lifestyle might lead to a higher metabolism (meaning a greater appetite), you’ll also be burning calories, meaning that you can afford to eat more every day. Plus, the more time you spend active, the less time you can spend debating whether or not you should get up and go get a snack.
Keep Yourself Busy
Many times, we eat only out of boredom. Our mind plays tricks on us, and we decide to break up the monotony by experiencing an interesting flavor. When hunger strikes, it’s worth asking yourself whether you’re hungry or just bored. Or, limit yourself from having to ask this question at all by keeping yourself preoccupied. If work is making you bored, try making a game out of how many tasks you can complete. If you’re at home when the snack cravings hit, take the opportunity to clean the bedroom. You might want to avoid the kitchen, though!
