Hands up if you’re a serial snacker?
While hunger is your body’s cue to feed it, sometimes hunger pangs can also be linked to how you’re consuming your food or what you’re fuelling your body with. So, if you feel the need to constantly nibble on snacks between your meals, it could come down to what’s on your brekkie, lunch and dinner plate.
1. You’re not eating enough protein.
Protein is a fantastic hunger busting tool, so it’s important that you’re including enough at every meal to ensure you’re satiated. Research shows that people who consume a higher amount of protein during the day report feeling fuller for longer, as well as experiencing less obsessive thoughts about food in general. Good quality protein comes from a variety of sources including meat, eggs, fish and poultry as well as nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains.
2. You choose low-fat products.
Are you still drinking skim milk in your morning coffee? It’s time to ditch the low-fat products! Not only do full-fat products taste better (by a mile!), but they’re much better for your health. Low-fat products are often filled with sugar – some low-fat yoghurts have as much sugar as chocolate pudding – because they need the sweet stuff to make up for the lack of taste thanks to the fat being taken out. And, excess sugar consumption leaves you with constant hunger pangs. Plus, full-fat products are more energy-dense, which means you only need to consume a small amount to feel satisfied!
3. You’re counting calories.
If you’re still counting every calorie that goes into your mouth, this may be why you’re always hungry – and exhausted to boot. If you’re repeatedly choosing a low-calorie, highly processed energy bar over eating healthy fats like avo too, then just how balanced is that? This is why we focus on filling our plates with veggies, protein and healthy fats to ensure we are satiated, all day, every day.
4. You’re eating too much sugar.
Excessive sugar consumption can play a major role in your daily hunger levels. When you consume high-fructose foods, the production of leptin – the hormone that tells your brain you’re full – decreases, while the production of ghrelin – the hormone that tells your brain you’re hungry – increases. Sugar consumption also affects the hippocampus region in the brain, affecting its ability to receives the “I’m full” messages from your body.
5. Your diet is lacking healthy fats.
As we mentioned before, it’s important to choose full-fat products over low-fat. And, it’s also important to consume a number of healthy fats in your diet in order to keep you full. The reason fat keeps you satiated is because it takes longer for your stomach to digest. One study in particular revealed that people who embarked on a low-fat diet reported more frequent feelings of hunger compared to the group that followed a low-carb, high-fat diet. Healthy sources of fat include coconut oil, avocados, olive oil and nuts.
6. You’re not drinking enough water.
If you’re not drinking the recommended 2 litres of water a day, your body could be dehydrated which actually leads to hunger! When your body is dehydrated, it often mistakes thirst, for hunger. So, next time you’re feeling peckish, have a big drink of water and see if that hits the spot!
7. You don’t practice mindful eating.
You can apply the practice of mindfulness to several different areas of your life, but it is particularly helpful when it comes to eating. Mindful eating requires your completely focus on the task at hand without any distractions. But, how many times have you scarfed down your dinner in front of the TV only to feel like you barely ate a bite? This is more mindless eating than mindful eating and is often why you’re left hungry. Join the slow food movement and give yourself time to eat without technological distractions.
Are you eating too much sugar? Ditch the sweet stuff with our 8-Week Program, which now kicks off every week! What are you waiting for?!
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