Eat less without feeling hungry

 

Do you still feel hungry after following your new healthy eating plan?  Feeling hungry and deprived will only lead you to straying from your healthy ways. Try ways to add fullness to your meals and snacks so you feel more satisfied while staying healthy, and are able to make such changes for life!

Have a liquid meal starter: Drink a cup of water or eat a bowl of bouillon-based soup before meals to make you feel fuller at meal time.  Filling yourself with low-calorie fluids or veggie-filled soups made with water-based broth before meals will make you less likely to over eat at meal time.

Eat at the table: If you eat at the dining table instead of in front of the TV, you will have fewer distractions from your hunger and fullness cues.  If you are more able to read your hunger and fullness cues, then you will be less likely to over eat at meal time.

Make veggies the base of your meals: Veggies are full of fiber that keeps you feeling fuller longer than more starchy foods.  Therefore, if you use low-calorie, nutrient-rich veggies as the main dish on your meal plate, and use starchy foods such as rice or pasta as a topper or side dish, you can cut calories from and add nutrient value to all your meals!

Work for your food: Eat natural snacks that require a bit of work to eat such as oranges, pistachios, or seeds that have rinds or shells to be removed.  Also, when getting ready to serve yourself, take a walk around the dinner table or around the buffet table at a party or restaurant, so you can think about what you want to eat instead of grabbing the first thing you see to settle your hunger.

Wear well-fitting clothes: If you wear well-fitting clothes, you will be better able to realize your fullness cues than when you wear loose-fitting clothes.  If you are better able to listen to your body’s cues, then you will be less likely to overeat.

Present your food to make it feel like more: Use a small plate or bowl to serve your food or snacks in so that it makes you feel like you are eating more.  Eating from a box or bag may cause you to eat more than you should, which can lead to overeating and weight gain in the long-term.

Using one or more of the tips above can make your healthy eating meal plan seem less like a challenge and more like a victory!