“A hungry man is not a free man.” – Adlai E. Stevenson

When you’re on a diet, do you ever get hungry? Cutting down on food often results in feelings of hunger and cravings for really unhealthy food. When your friend chews on a quarter-pound hamburger and you’re finishing a salad, being healthy is not very easy.

Then, how do you avoid hunger while being on a diet? It’s easy – just follow these steps.

Protein, fibre and water

The foods that reduce hunger the most in relation to their calorie content are the foods that are rich in protein, fibres and water.

Protein makes you full, period. Therefore, eating a diet filled with protein reduces your hunger. It’s that simple, yet it’s often overlooked. Protein also helps you build muscles that raise your metabolism. The trick is to eat lots of protein without eating lots of fat. Avoid the big steaks and instead go for beans, lentils, quorn, tofu, soy, low-fat dairy (low-fat cottage cheese and quark are awesome) and lean meat such as turkey and chicken.

Dietary fibre is great in the way that it makes you feel full without giving any calories. Fibre can also absorb some of the fat from undigested food in your stomach. The best kind of fibre is soluble fibre that can be found in beans, peas, lentils, fruits, berries, vegetables, onions and potatoes.

Plain cool water in itself doesn’t make you feel that very full, and therefore you can’t replace a meal with just water. However, water bound in food may reduce hunger. Examples of foods with high water content are fruits, vegetables, salad, spinach, fish and seafood. Avoid dry foods such as crackers and cornflakes.

Eat more often

By eating five to six small meals a day instead of three big ones you can avoid cravings for unhealthy food. You’ll also maintain the flow of energy to the brain, keeping you sharp and alert.

People who eat several small meals automatically eat less. They also automatically buy healthier foods, since they’re seldom hungry when they go to the supermarket.

Drink warm drinks

Studies have shown that by drinking warm drinks such as tea or coffee half an hour before eating a meal, people have a reduced hunger and appetite, thereby eating less.

It may be heard to drink warm drinks before every meal if you eat six times a day, but try doing it before dinner since that’s the biggest meal of the day for most people.

If you don’t have time to make tea or coffee, at least drink regular water. It won’t reduce hunger as much, but it will have a small effect.

Eat slowly

It takes about 20 minutes before the brain realizes that you’re full. By eating slower you eat less during these 20 minutes. You’ll therefore get full on less food.

Stay occupied

When you’re doing something that demands a lot of thinking, your brain won’t focus as much on the hunger. If you know you easily become hungry, don’t do things like watching TV. Instead, play with your kids, hang out with some friends or get a hobby.

Got any great tips on how to avoid getting hungry? Share your wisdom below.

Photo: Pink Sherbet Photography

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