Discover tips to help prevent hunger from derailing your weight loss plan.
Is hunger getting in the way of your efforts to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight? While you may be able to quash those hunger pangs with willpower alone, it makes sense to consider why you’re feeling hungry in the first place. Hunger can be driven by a variety of factors, including your diet, hormones, physical health, and mental health. By getting to the root cause of your hunger and addressing it, you can enjoy a healthier life as well as a fitter figure.
Here are the top 5 most common reasons you might be feeling hungry when you’re really not:
You’re Dehydrated: The hypothalamus regulates both hunger and thirst. When you’re even mildly dehydrated it’s easy for wires to get crossed in this part of the brain, leading you to reach for a snack when what your body really needs is a glass of water. Next time you feel hungry, drink a glass of water and wait 15 minutes to see if your hunger is satisfied.
You Don’t Sleep Well: Insomnia or poor sleep quality can lead to imbalances in the hormones that govern feelings of appetite and fullness. This means your system will crave sugar and carbs in the morning, even if you’re not really hungry. Renew Youth can help improve your sleep quality with hormone replacement therapy, so you wake up rested and energized, not craving a sugar or caffeine boost.
You’re Eating the Wrong Kinds of Carbs: Eating sugary and refined carbs like cookies and crackers causes a blood sugar spike, followed by a blood sugar plunge. When your blood sugar plunges, you crave more sugary carbs and the cycle of snacking just continues. For a lasting feeling of fullness, opt for complex carbs that are high in fiber, such as apples, chia seeds, or pistachios.
You Need More Protein and Fat: Lean protein and healthy fats are essential for feeling full. Women should eat 46 grams of protein daily, while men should eat 56 grams. Greek yogurt, eggs, lean meat, beans, and nuts are all excellent sources of protein. Healthy fats from nuts, oils, and seeds should be consumed in moderation, accounting for 20-30% of your daily calories.
You Eat Too Quickly: It takes about 20 minutes after eating for the hormones that signal fullness to register with your brain. If you eat too quickly, it’s easy to end up consuming more calories than you need, because you still feel hungry even though your stomach is full. Try eating at a moderate pace, and always wait 20 minutes before having seconds.
Of course, managing hunger is just one part of maintaining a healthy weight and body composition. Nutrition is also very important. If you’re interested in turbocharging your weight loss and/or muscle building efforts, ask us about injectable nutrients. Our injectable nutrient formulas contain the vitamins, minerals, and amino acids your body needs to burn fat and build muscle, but without the extra calories. Call us at 800-859-7511 to learn more.