Being Hungry Does Not Make Losing Weight Easier

You should never think that shedding pounds means being hungry all the time. In fact, managing your ravenous appetite and avoiding hunger pangs is essential if you’re trying to burn stored fat deposits. One of the major problems with losing weight quickly is that your body may respond negatively and excess hunger most often puts an extra-tempting spin on your appetite. So, not consuming enough food can topple your weight loss efforts.

Although you shouldn’t have to live with always being hungry, it is important to understand that the reduction in caloric intake will trigger some level of hunger routinely throughout your day. Nonetheless, it is important to never overeat. In order to cut calories without eating less and triggering an imaginative appetite, you need to follow a personalized menu plan that replaces some of the higher calorie foods you’ve been eating with a similar amount of food choices with fewer calories.

During your weight loss journey, you learned that controlling your body weight involves much more than just managing what you eat. Weight maintenance will not be effortless, so try the tips discussed below to keep it off:

• Consume Protein & Fat – If you are trying to eat less and feel full longer, you should add more protein and fat to your dietary intake. Protein naturally keeps you feeling full and fiber expands to keep you feeling full and satisfied.
• Add Resistance Exercises – Resistance training at least twice a week may help with weight maintenance by preserving your muscle mass, which is important to sustain a healthy metabolism for an optimal burn.
• Plan Your Meals – Although hunger is a natural response, letting yourself get too hungry can increase the risk of having strong food cravings. If you plan meals and snacks correctly, you will be feeding your body when it needs fuel.
• Manage Portion Size – Studies have shown that the larger the container, the more food people will eat without realizing it. Minimize this effect by managing portion size of any meal or snack.
• Do Not Ban Foods – You don’t have to ban foods but it is smart to substitute foods. For example, instead of eating an ultra-processed carb item, replace it with a fiber-filled sugary food like sweet potatoes or butternut squash.

One myth about weight cycling is that a person who loses and regains weight will have a harder time losing weight later but recent studies suggest losing and regaining weight does not affect how well you can lose weight in the future. If your body adjusts to weight loss by lowering your rate of burning energy, it can make it easier to regain weight once you resume a more normal diet. For those reasons, it often works better to make a lifestyle change to a balanced menu plan.

It is important to get to and stay at a healthy weight to get the most benefit from shedding unwanted pounds and to avoid weight cycling due to weight regain. Nonetheless, expect that keeping the weight off will take effort and commitment. Seasoning foods (especially whole foods and lean proteins) can add flavor and help you manage your appetite and any unwanted sensations of hunger. Watch the salt and to learn more about fat-burning seasonings, call MRC today.