One of the biggest challenges for diets involving calorie restriction is feeling full and curbing hunger. Feeling hungry can quickly zap motivation to stick to the diet or lead to binge eating after a while. Learning a few tricks to keep you feeling full for longer, on the other hand, will help make sticking to your diet goal a little easier. Here are some of the tricks to help you feel full for longer:
Opt for low density foods
One of the common tips for feeling full is to drink a glass of water before a meal to be able to eat less. However, eating low density foods, which contain a high percentage of water can prove a better strategy. This is because unlike simply drinking water before a meal, foods that contain water stay longer in the stomach, so the feeling of satiety persists for longer.
Fill up with fiber
Fiber rich foods are perfect hunger suppressants because they help keep blood sugar levels stable for longer, which leads to fewer cravings. They also require more chewing, which tends to slow down the eating pace and makes it easier to feel satiated sooner. According to a study, eating an apple before a meal helped participants cut 187 calories from their course and researchers state that apples’ fiber content might be the cause for the easy calorie cut-back.
Snack on nuts
Nuts are among the foods that can help you feel fuller for longer. Almonds are ideal as a snack since they contain both a decent amount of fiber and unsaturated fat, both of which help create satiety. However, portion sizes are very important when it comes to nuts as they are high in calories. Try to keep portion sizes below 3 ounces.
Try eating grapefruit
Vitamin C is needed to help metabolize fat into energy. Grapefruit is rich in vitamin C – just a half of grapefruit has 38 grams of vitamin C. Moreover, grapefruit is also low in calories (a large grapefruit has little over 100 calories), which is why including this fruit in your diet can help you lose weight.
Hit the gym
Exercise might do more than burn calories. Regular exercises can reduce ghrelin levels, a hormone that increases appetite, and boost the levels of appetite suppressing hormones for up to two hours after the exercise session. To maximize benefit, be sure to opt for different workouts to keep your metabolism at optimal levels.
Slow down when eating
The feeling of satiety isn’t just physiological. It also depends on sensory cues to assess fullness. This is why it’s best to slow down while eating – to be able identify more accurately satiety cues. Moreover, savoring the food will also help you feel fuller and more satisfied.
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