People have done fasting for several thousand years, mainly for religious reasons. Nowadays, fasting has become a popular way to “cleanse” your body and lose weight.

However, there are three big problems with cutting out food completely:

1. You will tell your body to store fat.

When you don’t eat for a longer period of time, your body will enter “starvation mode”, and as soon you start eating again it will try to store as much energy as possible for the bad times ahead. And how does it store the energy? Well, as fat.

2. You will lose muscle.

When your body doesn’t get the food it needs, it will use the glycogen stored in your muscles. When that glycogen gets low, the body will produce a hormone called cortisol, that will work catabolic and break down your muscle tissue.

3. You will fill your body with waste.

When your muscle tissue is broken down, there will be a lot of waste stored in your body. This makes fasting a very counter-productive way to cleanse the body.

Studies have shown that calorie restriction is a great way to live longer, but fasting may not be the ultimate answer. Instead, go for a low calorie diet with fairly high amounts of protein – in that way you can lose weight without compromising your health.

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“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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1. Ten Easy Ways to Start Losing Weight

One should eat to live, not live to eat.  – Cicero

Being healthy and fit has a huge impact on your immune system, your energy levels, your mood and your confidence. By getting in shape you can change not only your looks, but your wellbeing as a whole.

1. Skip that juice. Juice is more or less fruit without all the fibres. What’s left is mainly sugar and water. Many kinds of juice even contain added sugar. Eat real fruits instead.
2. Change your diet slowly. What foods or drinks could you add to your diet? What foods or drinks could you cut out? Start slow and don’t rush it. Changing your whole diet at once is hard, making you more likely to go back to bad habits. Replacing one food per week or even month is easy.
3. Eat more often, but less. Eating five or six small meals instead of three big ones makes you feel fuller and keep your energy levels on top. People who eat more often also automatically consume less calories.
4. Avoid red, orange and yellow. These colours encourages eating. (Think of a certain hamburger chain. Sneaky, eh?) Therefore, avoid decorating you dining area with these colours. Instead, use as much blue as possible.
5. Drink ordinary coffee. Coffee drinks often contain lots of milk, cream or sugar. Cut that out and you’ll cut down on calories.
6. Eat slowly. It takes about 20 minutes for your body to feel full. Eat more slowly and you’ll automatically eat less.
7. Take the stairs. Instead of using the elevator, use the stairs. If you walk up and down stairs for 10 minutes a day, you may shed up to 10 pounds a year.
8. Drink tea. Drinking warm drinks makes you less hungry, resulting in that you’ll automatically consume less food.
9. Drink water. Drinking enough water may reduce feelings of hunger and make your body metabolize fat more efficiently.
10. Use smaller plates. Using smaller plates makes you get the impression of eating more than you actually do. It may also make you eat slower.

Got other tips for easy weight loss? Share your wisdom below.

Photo: alancleaver_2000

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