Weight loss diet is all about counting calories. Whether they are calories from your daily dose of coffee or your night out with friends, which basically involves alcohol.
One needs to understand the beauty of calorie counting as it can help reduce weight and also help to maintain it in the long run. Just because your calorie intake is restricted doesn’t mean you have to feel hungry and grumpy all the time.
There are several ways of satiating your hunger and also keep the calorie count in control. We have summed few simple yet effective methods of feeling full and while keeping your restrictions on food intake.
1. Essentials
Make friends with proteins, fiber, essential carbs and fat. Don’t be scared of healthy fats that come from olive oil, nuts, fatty fishes, flax seeds etc. These foods help you keep full and satisfied for a long period of time. Fibrous foods are a good option to snack as they satisfy your hunger as well as help digest the food.
2.Low-Calorie Intake.
Add bulk not calories. Fibrous and watery fruits are high on bulk but less on calories. These contain sugar which satisfies the hunger and the fibers in the fruits slow down the absorption of the food, thus decreasing your hunger craving. Veggies like lettuce or kale are also effective in the same way.
3. Diversity Is Important.
You need to put everything in your meal on one plate so that your brain can register the fact that you have enough amount of food. An ideal plate is half full of veggies, a quarter full of starch and the other quarter full of protein.
4. Slow And Steady…
Go slow while eating your food. You need to enjoy each and every bite of the food. Gulping down the food makes no registration in the body and you feel hungry even after eating a good amount of snack or lunch. Try using smaller utensils, chew slowly or spice up your meals.
5. Eat Without Distractions.
Eating at your desk, in front of the TV, in your car etc may seem like great options but they are the reason you may overeat or feel hungry after some time. These distractions while eating cause meta-analysis which has proven to lead to overeating. According to the same study, if you pay attention to your meal, there are very less or no chances of feeling hungry for a long time.
6. Hydrate!
Most of the time, when a body is not hydrated enough your brain sends signals similar to hunger. So keeping your body hydrated is very essential. Take few sips of water before eating, maybe you are just thirsty. Hydrating your body is beneficial for proper function of the body aswell.
. Listen To Your Body.
Pay attention to the body’s cues of fullness. There are different ways through which body lets you know about its fullness, for example, food stops tasting as good as it did at first, taking a deep breath mid-meal, setting your fork down or feeling satisfied and content.
Calorie counting gives a powerful insight into a person’s dietary routine and eating choices. This habit is beneficial if you want to reduce weight and maintain the same for a long run. Thus, you need to find different ways to keep your calorie count in control and also feel satiated at the same time.