Controlling Hunger

[LondonMuscle]

My buddy just sent me an email asking me some tips about how to keep hunger at bay while on a diet. I wrote him this back and just decided to post it here because it might be helpful to someone.

About 50% of hunger is dietary or supplemental and the other 50% is pure mental fortitude, so keep that in mind.

Here are some things you can do to help with cravings:

1. Increase your fiber intake. This is best done through an increase in vegetable intake or buying something like psyllium fibre husk, which is a non-soluble fiber source. Fiber slows down the rate of digestion and therefore decreases the rate of gastric emptying, making you feel fuller longer, as well as increases the absorption efficiency of various nutrients.

2. Increase your fat intake. I'd highly recommend purchasing a fish oil supplement for so many reasons. Fish oil, without a doubt, has more benefits than any other supplement, ranging from hormonal, to metabolic to developmental. Fat, like fiber, slows down the digestion process.

3. Eat every 2-3 hours and eat non-processed foods. The main reason you feel hungry is drastic swings in blood sugar (glucose). Glucose changes both in response to the sugar content of food, which is related to its glycemic index, and the frequency of eating. With respect to the former, increases in glucose from eating sugary foods will inevitably lead to a blood sugar crash which will cause vicious cravings, so stick to lower GI, non process foods, basically things that exist in nature. The latter point on frequency of eating also plays into blood glucose stability. Once your body stops digesting food, glucose levels tend to drop off, triggering the hunger mechanism, creating cravings. If you simply spread your food throughout the day more evenly, blood sugar will stay more constant and cravings will be less frequent.

4. Differentiate between hunger and appetite. Hunger is the actual NEED for food where appetite is merely stimulatory. In our society, most individuals will rarely ever feel true hunger but instead have increased appetite. It is important to understand the difference because the second is psychological, as opposed to physiological, and can therefore be controlled. So whenever you have a craving, try and figure out what stimulated it, avoid that stimulus, and simply walk it off till the appetite decreases. With hunger this isn't possible. All of us associate food with certain emotions and situations, this is called mental mapping. Some people when they are under stress starve themselves while others binge eat, based on their mental associations with food. Be very aware of your relationship with food so that you can consciously combat it instead of resorting to instinctive eating.

5. Do not limit food intake, only food choices. Dieting for 90% of the population is actually quite simple. No one is telling you, you're not allowed to eat, instead you are limited to certain foods you can have and certain ones you can not. If you notice hunger creeping up on you, don't tell yourself you have to fight it off but rather find something you are allowed to eat and snack on that. Get a veggie platter, or a salad and gorge on that stuff till your appetite is satisfied. Now of course you are allowed some cheats, but keep those in check and try to have no more than 10% of your food intake come from unhealthy foods.

[AussieRugbyPlayer]

The 2-3 hours window is fantastic, I actually start getting cranky if I don't eat on time.

Your point five is really good. There are loads of foods that you can pig out on, have moderatly and them some that you have to limit to only a fraction of your diet depending on what your doing.

I found the diet drinks like Pepsi Max and Coke Zero, due to the sweet taste are great for getting rid of hunger pains. I find buck loads of green tea helps to.

No carb compared to low carb are easier to manage. On a no carb diet, say keto, you don't get the carb cravings becuase your body adapts and doesn't crave them. Low low carbs diets are a little like nicotine to a smoker, the brain gets a taste for the carb and wants more, like smoking, if you cut out the nicotine, you brain stops craving it. I hope I explained that ok. hence no carb diets are easier to stick to. I think you said some along these line on another thread London.

[BIGKIWI]

well explained you two!detailed and informative diet information.....I eat salads,nuts ,and lean protein every 2hrs ,and hve been doing this for over 11 months now.....still training hard and makeing qaulity gains with ass,and i look better than ever and as i find this easy now after this long,i plan to continue this eating plan 24/7 year after year.

[AussieRugbyPlayer]

Originally Posted by BIGKIWI

well explained you two!detailed and informative diet information.....I eat salads,nuts ,and lean protein every 2hrs ,and hve been doing this for over 11 months now.....still training hard and makeing qaulity gains with ass,and i look better than ever and as i find this easy now after this long,i plan to continue this eating plan 24/7 year after year.

So would you say you're in a state of ketosis? Are you carbs under 50g per day and having a carb meal or day once a week?

I think from memory, ketosis dieting shouldn't be done for more than 4 months without a carb period for a few months. Not sure on this London am I rights?

[RIPT]

Doesn't drinking lots of water help also?

[JC2007]

Originally Posted by RIPT

Doesn't drinking lots of water help also?

Yes.