3 Ways to Control Your Hunger
Everybody knows that chowing down on a chocolate bar or a couple of donuts results in a rush of energy that crashes an hour later leaving you hungry and sullen. Yet eating a bagel with an omelette on the side might have fewer calories but will leave you satiated for hours and hours. You need to examine why that is, and then strive for that effect. Here are some tips on controlling your hunger.
One of the key ways to control your hunger is to eat more protein. It’s simple, effective, and it works. Protein, which is used by your body to build muscle, can also cause your body to release peptides in your stomach. Peptides are synthesized amino acids, and they help your body communicate with your brain, causing you to feel more satiated. That’s why a steak, burger or any other heavy source of protien will leave you satiated for hours, while a couple of slices of white bread won’t.
Another good idea is to try and pace yourself as you eat. People prone to wolfing down their meals eat too fast for their bodies to adjust to the new levels of food in their bodies. When you eat slowly, chew thoroughly, you increase your oro-sensory factors, which help send satiation signals to your brain. Eating slower allows your body to realize more accurately when it is full, and lessen your hunger. Eating quickly means packing in more food than you might need, leaving you bloated and stuffed when you are done.
Finally, be sure to focus on eating when you’re eating. This may sound obvious, but too many people attempt to multitask during meals, and will check email, watch TV, or play video games. What this does is disrupt your body’s ability to communicate levels of satiety, such that you will eat more than you realize you meant to. Think about that over sized box of popcorn in the movie theaters, and the mechanical way you’ll eat the whole thing while watching a good movie. The same goes for when you’re at home. Watching TV or being otherwise distracted greatly increases the odds of eating more than you need or want, due to your body not being able to tell you it’s satisfied for being distracted.
