Rapid Weight Loss Causes Uncontrolled Hunger

After years of bad information about dieting, many people believe that experiencing uncomfortable feelings of hunger and forcing yourself to ignore your appetite is necessary for you to shed unwanted pounds. However, learning to manage your hunger is key. To lose weight and maintain the new weight, you must respect the physiological mechanisms that resist your weight loss efforts. Moreover, it is crucial to maintain your motivation to follow a menu plan filled with a variety of hunger-satisfying meals and snacks.

Actually losing weight for most people is the easy part but managing appetite and hunger to keep it off for more than a year is the bigger challenge. Unfortunately, rapid weight loss can lead to a stronger desire to eat. A smart approach to losing weight doesn’t involve starvation and shouldn’t require you to endure feelings of hunger all the time. However, people have trouble distinguishing hunger and thirst, so start by drinking the recommended daily average.

• Mindful eating is the practice of listening to internal hunger cues and avoiding distractions during the eating process. Savor the taste of food and try these proven tips that promote healthier eating habits:
• Eat Regular Meals – When you are losing weight, you should be eating three balanced meals a day and a high-fiber, high-protein snack at regular intervals every day. But, manage portion sizes to control your calorie intake to shed unwanted pounds.
• Stay Well Hydrated – Drinking water is helpful for weight maintenance for a couple of reasons. It promotes feelings of fullness and has been shown to slightly increase the number of calories burned throughout the day.
• Pick Healthy Snacks – Snacking is a must when you’re trying to shed pounds and keep them off. A healthy snack with hunger-fighting ingredients can get you from one meal to the next without a grumbling stomach.
• Be a Smart Shopper – Creating a grocery list before you go to the store can help you avoid reaching for something that will result in weight gain. So, avoid certain sections and stick to your shopping list.
• Stop Eating When Full – Mindfulness is your moment-to-moment awareness of your feelings, including triggers related to your surroundings and emotions. Mindful eating means avoiding distractions, so you recognize the natural signs of fullness and stop eating.

Sensations of hunger and appetite are feelings that you may know quite well. While true hunger is a normal signal that it is time to add fuel. Ravenous hunger can be a sign that you’re not eating enough or are consuming the wrong combination of foods. 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.

Although the benefits of eating on a smaller plate may have been overstated in the past, the concept does allow you to eat less. Nonetheless, you have to make a commitment to consuming proper portions sizes of the food you’ve chosen. Truth is some people will have more difficulty managing hunger and will be more susceptible to having food cravings. Enjoying foods in moderation might be more effective than completely depriving yourself. Contact MRC to learn more.