Is it alright to be hungry?

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A study showed that when people had a cup of soup or a salad 15 minutes before a meal, they ate less at the meal and were more satisfied. Bean, pea, and other hearty soups are really easy to make in a slow cooker, and the legumes are really good for you.

As others have said, it's a good idea to have a small, portion-controlled snack in the afternoon, as you're more likely to overeat if you're really hungry.

Also, rather than going on a diet, think of this as a lifestyle change that will make you healthier and give you more energy. The word diet has a temporary connotation, but this is something you want to maintain. Good luck.
 
That's what I was going to say.

I eat very fast, and when I do I could down a large pizza and not blink an eye. Slow down your eating by chewing more, one bite at a time. You'll see a big difference just from that.

On this note of eating slower, have a read of this:


Chew on this: eating fast makes you fat!

apanese scientists have discovered that eating your food quickly makes you three times more likely to be overweight. The research conducted by Professor Hiroyasu Iso and colleagues from Osaka University in Japan, showed that it's not just eating quickly that has an effect — it's the modern manner of eating until you're full that also plays a role in the obesity epidemic. Researchers believe that it's this combination of eating fast and until full that may override signals in the brain which would normally encourage more self control when it comes to eating patterns. And, according to the British Medical Journal Online First, the demise of the family meal and it's replacement with fast food and larger portions are to blame.
Of the 3,200 Japanese men and women surveyed, half the men and 58 per cent of the women said they normally ate until they were full and just under half the men and a third of women said they ate quickly. A higher body mass index (BMI) was recorded in this group than those who didn't eat too quickly or until full.

Why you should slow down at the dinner table...


  • It takes around 20 minutes for the stomach to register being full so taking a break in between courses is advised
  • Experts suggest chewing a mouthful 20 times before swallowing saying that the longer you chew, the fuller you'll feel
  • Chewing breaks down food molecules and saliva begins the digestion process
  • Being preoccupied with TV or reading while you're eating prevents the signals about the food reaching your brain
  • Don't talk and eat at the same time as swallowing air impedes digestion
Professor Iso also said, "If you eat slowly then there is some feedback from the brain that this is enough, and this helps stop you eating before you are full".
We've always been told to chew our food properly, eat slowly and not to watch TV at the dinner table — maybe we should start to listen!
 
I have heard that the most effective way of diet is eating several times in a day with small amount of foods, than eating the three major meals. I don't know if this is effective because I haven't tried but one of my friend says it works for her.
 
I have heard that the most effective way of diet is eating several times in a day with small amount of foods, than eating the three major meals. I don't know if this is effective because I haven't tried but one of my friend says it works for her.

I've been doing that for 2 yrs. Cut portions, cut fat and eat 6 times a day. Three meals, and a snack between. I keep my total calorie count (I don't get paranoid with this) to about 1400 to 1500 a day. I took off 52 pounds in 13 months and am never hungry. Great appetite at meal times, but never uncomfortably hungry.
 
Cutting Back Can Be Easier Than You Thought!

It's really not good to let yourself go hungry especially if you're trying to loose weight because your body begins to think your starving yourself and will store fat.

If you have a habit of eating all the time, that's okay. All you need to do is replace all the unhealthy snacks for healthy ones. You might even want to focus on the negative calorie snacks like, apples, oranges, cabbage, carrots, etc.

Try never to go more than four hours without eating and also try drinking a glass of water before your meal... it will help you feel fuller.:)
 
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The stomac is a muscular organ, that means if you are used to eat a lot, it will become larger. If you want to lose wait you'll need to learn to stay hungry. As jennyema drinking water helps you because it will fill you up and you will not have a urge to eat. If water gets boring, you could add a slice of lemon in it. It will make it taste better and it's good for you. Having snack could be good if you don't eat things that are filled with calories, if you look around I think you can find things that are made to fill you up and that don't have a lot of calories.

I hope that helped you.
 
Thanks for everyone's replies.

I've been adapting my eating habbits, as suggested, and it's going well. I can't say, nor do I expect, that I've lost a significant amount of weight yet, as I haven't really checked, but I find myself eating FAR less, while never really being hungry. I've cut my lunch down to a single sandwich, with maybe (not even always) a small snack, and then packing another snack for about 3-4 hours later. My dinners are half of what they used to be, and I find myself being satisfied by far less food.

So thank you, everyone. I feel this is really going to change my life for the better.
 
May I suggest that you go and see your family doctor. Get yourself a good, overall physical exam, and then have the doctor send you on to a dietician who will be able to give you a personal diet plan...Just had to put my 2 cents worth in....Good Luck!!!
Geez... are you trying to ruin all our fun and take away all of our "expert" advice? Spoil-sport :LOL:. Heh. I agree with most of the advice given here (yes, even this one ella/TO).

CyberSlag5k -> I'm glad you've reduced the size of your evening meal and that things are going well for you. I applaud your attitude of not expecting significant changes in the short-term. Stick with it. A little at a time, you (and others) will see 'significant' results. Slow and steady... "LIFESTYLE". As a 6'1" man myself, I have healthily reduced my weight over time from 248 (at my largest and, like you, didn't feel obese) to my current weight of 178 lbs. I exercise. I eat appropriate portion sizes and nutritious foods. I drink water. You can do it.
 
While there is nothing wrong with actually being hungry when you eat, you do run into the danger of binge eating because you are hungry. When you learn diabetes control, one rule is that you eat a little often through the day. What I'm getting at here is that if you are truly hungry at 3 p.m., then you are more likely to give in to temptations you might not consider otherwise. Rather than two or three sandwiches at lunch, make your sandwich for lunch, and a half sandwich to eat at mid-afternoon.
 
You don't have to be hungry to lose weight. The key is that you need to take everything in moderation.. eat slow, avoid fatty foods, drink lots of water, exercise, eat small bites between/during meals.
 
Life is the gift of god to us, To be hungry is a good things so that we can eat more and enjoy it but there is a danger of Obesity or overweight. We can tackle the same by doing regular exercise. Even banana and water can do a trick for you.
 
Nuts are only good if you have a small quantity, and although they are a good source of protein, they are also a good source of fat - good fats, but they are fats all the same. A 1/4 cup of nuts are good. More than that is a little much.. and unsalted.

If you're scaling down portions and you're hungry, your stomach will adjust. It's expanded to make room for what you're used to eating. It will shrink and you will find yourself getting full with the smaller portions soon. If you are hungry, your intake of fruit and vegetables are limitless. Eat as many as you want!
 
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