Many people believe that weight loss is a painful thing. To shift those stubborn pounds, you must go hungry all the time. Many are afraid to even set a weight loss goal because they can’t stand the thought of going hungry and the frustrations that it brings. For a lot of people, it's just better to be overweight than to suffer hunger pangs and deprivation.
Well, who can blame them?
If the only way to lose weight or stay slim was to go hungry all the time very few people would be at their ideal weight and the vast majority of the planet would be extremely overweight! It isn’t necessary.
Our body is truly amazing! Its natural rhythm and internal workings tell us when we are hungry. It has a self-protection mechanism that lets you know when you need to stock up on fuel. A hunger signal is the body notifying you that you need to eat in order for you to sustain a healthy level of energy and have the reserves necessary for healing, repair and maintenance of your cells.
So, we know that starvation diets don’t work and you don’t want to spend 2 hours a day in the gym. How do we lose weight then? Well, the good news is you do not have to go hungry to lose weight. Nor do you need excessive amounts of exercise. The truth is, eating regular nutritional meals and allowing your body to fill itself to satisfaction is the key to reaching and maintaining a healthy, slim body.
Here are a few things to consider:
Explore meal options. For example, many people try 3 meals a day, while others eat 6 smaller meals a day. Dividing the meals in the smaller portions throughout the day can help overindulgence. It’s important to find which strategy feels best for your body! So, try them both and see what works.
Don’t wait when you feel extreme hunger. If you wait for a long period of time before you eat your body will go into panic mode, thinking that you don’t have enough resources to feed it and you will overeat! Listen to the first few signs of hunger.
Do not miss a meal in the hope that it will help burn some extra calories. You may believe that by skipping a meal you will save some calories or fat intake, but, as you have seen, the opposite tends to happen. In addition, if you go for a long period without a meal, you are much more likely to over-indulge.
Try eating slower when at meals. Place your knife and fork down between every bite and chew for a few seconds longer than normal. It can take us up to twenty 20 minutes to realize that the body is full and completely satisfied. When you eat at a fast pace, you don’t have time to recognize the “full“ signal your body is sending your brain. When you eat at a slower pace you start to recognize these signals from your body and train yourself to identify them at an earlier stage.
Finally, move your body! Try with an extra 15 minutes. Leave for work with an extra 5 minutes to spare and walk a lap around the building before you head inside. Park further away at the store to get extra steps in. At lunch take a 5 minute stroll or take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk to the local shop instead of driving. You’d be surprised how fast those steps add up!
Until next time,
Adrienne
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