Raise your hand if this is one of your goals for the New Year: to lose weight and/or to be fit.
Indeed, this is absolutely one of the most mundane and increasingly common goals that people have today.
The fear that people stop these goals is that they want to learn how to feel full so they aren’t constantly eating.
There’s tons of advice out there – so much so that you can spend days scanning through page after page or clicking on website after website and you’re still not closer to figuring out the formula.
One reason why the average person has a difficult time achieving their fitness goals is there’s no one thing that works for everyone.
Our bodies all work a bit differently when it comes to weight loss, fitness, and learning how to feel full.
While there are different methods and techniques to lose weight, many people prefer the good ole fashion way to lose weight, which is to watch your diet and to exercise.
This is easier said than done.
When you go ‘cold turkey’ and cut back on portions and the number of times you eat, then you might find yourself feeling hungry a lot during the day.
And when you feel hungry you make poor meal decisions. I also have a weight loss fitness goal in mind; it’s not easy going, but these are a few things which I have noticed that really help me to stay full during the day without compromising a healthy diet.
So to help you with your weight loss goals, here are 5 tips to help you learn how to feel full and on the track to losing weight.
1. Snack: Healthy and Often
Trust me when I say, you’ll get hungry between meals when you diet. It goes without saying.
Instead of letting this hunger grow and influence your meal choices, just have a snack when you feel hungry: eat an apple, munch on a handful of grapes, or drink some fresh fruit juice (I am a big fan of juice that you make yourself).
Basically, replace a nutrition-poor, high-calorie snack (like fries, chips or candy) with nutrition-rich, low-calorie foods (like fruits, veggies and nuts).
2. Stash food
Hallelujah! Keep a stash of food handy you say? Okay.
You’re probably wondering if I am crazy for suggesting you stash food.
Yes stash food, but not just any food: healthy food.
If you work in an office all day, sitting away and getting stressed out, it can be difficult to lose weight and stay focussed on eating healthy.
Instead of taking a chocolate bar or some processed snack to work, buy some fruits and keep them within sight. When you get hungry you will reach for what is there, and if a tangerine is there then it increases your chances that that is what you are going to eat. I almost always have at least an apple in my office.
3. Drink water and lots of it!
Keep yourself hydrated. Drink water when you are eating, drink water when you are not eating will help you feel full.
It helps to give you that full feeling, which is among the many benefits of being properly hydrated.
You should, in no way, replace food with water. Simply ensure that you are not dehydrated. If you spend most of your day sitting down then just simple, pure water is probably the best option.
4. Listen to your body
Regardless of what is said in numbers 1, 2 and 3 of this list, it is important that you first LISTEN TO YOUR BODY when applying any of the tips listed above.
Like I’ve already mentioned, everyone is different. That’s why there’s not just one golden weight loss formula for everyone.
If your body signals to you that you are hungry, then eat. If your body signals to you that it is dehydrated, then drink water. Never ever allow yourself to be too hungry and never ever starve yourself.
5. Get up and move.
The majority of times I feel tempted to get a snack are when I am doing some mindless task like writing a routine report or reading documents.
That’s when I get up and take a short walk around the office; I go outside, maybe do a bit of stretching. Basically, pretend you are a smoker and you need to take a break every now and then, except minus the actual the smoking part. It breaks the cravings that I may get due to my body being idle and bored.
A healthy lifestyle goal is generally attainable, but it takes effort. I hope reading these tips have encouraged you in some little way to keep trying.
Let us know in the comments your go to foods to keep you full.
