Mindful Eating Requires You to Focus on the Food

How much room the food you eat takes up in your stomach as well as the type of food you consume can make a huge difference in how full you feel. Proteins satisfy longer than fats and high-fiber foods satisfy hunger better than sugary carbs. Generally speaking, hunger is a normal signal from your body to your brain and back that it is time to eat because your body is low on energy. Appetite is also a signal but it more often presents itself as a craving for a certain type of food.

Traditionally, people started a meal with a bowl of soup or salad and a glass of water. Since water does help to empty the stomach, hydrating as close as possible to eating your meal can reduce feelings of hunger as well as your total calorie intake. Under normal conditions, your brain helps you recognize when you are truly hungry or really full. Since distractions can interfere with this process, mindful eating can keep you from eating too quickly by allowing you to focus on every bite.

We’ve already discussed some of the telltale signs that can help you distinguish between your emotional appetite and true hunger. A key to managing either or both is use some of the proven tips discussed below when your energy levels dip:

• Mindful Eating – Focusing on the qualities of the food you are eating, which includes sight, smell, and flavor, will reduce your risk of overeating. Mindful eating helps manage your appetite and is a healthy eating habit to build upon.
• Eat at Mealtime – Saying you don’t eat breakfast because you aren’t hungry may not be true. Dietitians suspect people train their body to not release hunger signals only to overeat at other meals because they feel famished.
• Add Good Fats – By understanding the difference between good and bad fats and how to include more healthy fat in your diet, can help manage hunger and trim your waistline.
• Don’t Ignore Cravings – If food cravings start to run amok, you don’t have to give in to your food desires. Learn to outsmart them with a big glass of water or a healthy high-fiber, water filled snack you prepared at home.
• Drink More Fluids – If you find yourself looking for a snack before bedtime, try drinking a glass of seltzer instead. It will at least keep you feeling full as you wait to fall asleep for the night.

Understanding that you do not always choose to eat when you are actually hungry can be crucial for long-term weight loss success. Managing eating triggers can make a huge difference in your efforts for ongoing weight management. Regardless of how you feel about limiting carbohydrate intake, many processed foods contain unhealthy amounts of refined carbohydrates that convert to sugar. Weight management requires replacing refined carbs with their healthier counterparts.

Even though you cut calories to lose weight, it doesn’t necessarily mean you need to eat less food to maintain your new weight. Instead, focus on eating high-fiber foods and proteins that are higher in volume and take longer for your body to digest. Your body will persistently encourage you to regain the weight you’ve lost. For proven strategies that can help you maintain your new weight, contact the weight loss specialists at Metabolic Research Center for professional support.