Do you struggle to satisfy your hunger smartly and stay on track with your healthy eating goals? While there are many reasons that people find it challenging to lose weight, being hungry all the time was always a big one for me.
I liked all the healthier versions of food, but sometimes I would finish a meal and think, “I need something else. I am still hungry.” When this happened, I often did not satisfy it smartly. Then I would feel disappointed that I hadn’t stuck with my healthy eating plan Can you relate?
If you are having a hard time satisfying your hunger smartly, and it is blocking you from reaching and maintaining your feel-good weight, then I encourage you to give one of the tips below a try and see if it helps you stay on track with your healthy eating goals.
#1 Eat a Smart Plate
The most important thing about having healthy meals isn’t trying to eat as little as possible or restricting food groups but aiming for balance. You want to shoot for what I call a Smart Plate. A Smart Plate is ¼ lean protein, ¼ complex carbohydrates, and the other ½ vegetables with a healthy fat about the size of your thumb. This might mean having a dinner with salmon, quinoa, broccoli and a salad, or a stir fry loaded with veggies and a bit of chicken served over ½ cup of rice.
You can get as simple or as complex as you want, as long as you are getting all the nutrients you need without starving yourself.
#2 Start Your Day with Protein
When you break your fast, a great strategy is to eat protein with the only carbs coming from veggies. When you start your day with a high carb breakfast like cereal and fruit, your body shifts from burning fat to burning sugar. In a couple of hours, once the sugar burns off or gets stored as fat, your hunger comes back.
However, the healthy fat content and high protein content of eggs combine to fill you up and satiate you for a longer period of time. They are also low in calories and packed with amino acids and vitamins. Plus they are delicious. (For years, people were told not to eat too many eggs due to cholesterol, but doctors now recommend them regularly as a healthy protein source.)
Try making a breakfast of scrambled eggs with your favorite veggies or make egg muffins that you bake and save for later. Check out my Healthy Recipes Board on Pinterest here to find some recipes.
#3 Add Chia Seeds
One food you can start consuming more often to help you stay full longer is chia seeds. These little seeds will absorb water and detoxify your body, plus they are virtually tasteless and easy to add to any food or drink. You can add chia seeds to a green juice or smoothie, which also helps you get in all those healthy leafy greens and other fresh produce. You can also make chia seed puddings. (Again, go here for recipe suggestions.)
My favorite way to add chia seeds to my diet is to add a tablespoon of chia seeds to a water bottle. I shake it up and let it sit for about five minutes. I typically do this in the afternoon. It keeps me full so that I don’t need to snack between lunch and dinner.
#4 Eat More Legumes
If you are not on a low-carb diet, consider adding legumes to your meals. Legumes such as beans, chickpeas, and lentils, are a complex carbohydrate and high in fiber, so it takes you longer to digest them keeping you full for longer
In addition, legumes provide some healthy fats and plant-based protein. If you are a vegetarian or just don’t eat a lot of meat, they are a great option for increasing protein and nutrients in your diet.
While there are lots of recipes that include legumes, you can also add them to salads or soups to increase your satiety. I also love to eat hummus with veggies.
While these strategies are great if you are truly hungry, sometimes our desire to eat is activated by a craving, not true hunger. Learning how to tune in to your body to determine your true hunger is an important skill. (I explain the process in my blog: Learn How to Stop Overeating Without Giving Up Your Favorite Foods here)
However, if you know it is a craving and not true hunger, but you still find yourself reaching for the food time and time again, then I know I can help.I invite you to watch the Crush Cravings Masterclass and get access to my powerful three-step strategy that actually works to crush cravings, so you can stick with your healthy eating plan even when surrounded by temptations.
Hey, before you go, join the Stress-Free Eating Community. It is an awesome ‘private’ Facebook Group for women who struggle to stick to a healthy eating plan and want exclusive tips, trainings and strategies so they can tap into their brainpower versus willpower and easily choose the healthiest options for them.
Each week there is a mini-challenge to help you build smart habits, strategies to make staying on track to reaching your feel-good weight easier, #healthyfoodtastesgood recipes, accountability check-ins, and opportunities to connect and have fun.
We’re a supportive group of women who motivate and encourage each other to stick with a healthy eating plan …. and best of all it’s completely FREE!
