Why eating when you're hungry is the worst diet tip

We eat for a number of reasons and hunger isn't the only one. It isn't abnormal to eat when we are stressed and anxious. It's actually more common for people with stressful lifestyles to be over eating because of the satisfaction and comfort that eating can cause. The problem is, when we eat the highly processed cupcakes and candy bars we feel satisfied- but only momentarily, within 15 minutes we are hungry again, for real food.

The saying, never go food shopping hungry, is right. We end up picking up all of the foods that seem so good at that moment, those quick freezer foods and snacks that we know too well are packed with sodium, sugar and high processed ingredients. These foods are not nutritionally valuable and while your stomach may be full, you still end up craving adequate nutrition, And yet when we attempt to fight off the pizza cravings and make healthy choices, we end up at the kitchen table bitter with our diet and mad that we didn't indulge, just to find ourselves 5 hours later binge eating Doritos in front of the television.

It's okay to indulge yourself, in moderation with our goals. One slice of cake isn't going to be the deciding factor between you and your weight goal. But while listening to your body is most important, know that hormones, anxiety, stress, depression and habit can all be deciding factors in your feeling of hunger, Many people, when they are stressed get strong urges to eat in response to their peeked emotions and immediately regret it, giving up their diet while consequently making their anxiety worse.

There are valid reasons to why you are hungry and while following every impulse isn't the best course of action, you shouldn't ignore what your body is telling you.

Opt for high protein and a bigger lunch

A tip to reduce hunger and promote weight loss is to keep our stomachs full by increasing our protein intake. Fiber, as well, is high in starches and can increase feelings of satiety leaving us with lower feelings of hunger, A study was done with 80 women to compare the side affects related to weight loss of a high energy intake at lunch compared to a high one at dinner time. It was shown that a larger lunch proved to show more weight loss among the women after 12 weeks and improved insulin resistance. Eating bigger meals during the day versus eating them at night can also cause hormonal changes that cause you to feel fuller throughout the day.

Meditation

With all of this stress there is a reason why I am bringing up the benefits of meditation. Whether it be ten minutes or an hour, a little bit of yoga or meditation can help lower blood pressure, clear your mind and control anxiety thus controlling your food choices and decisions.

Mindless Eating

Eating in front of the tv or computer can lead to mindless eating, because you are not focused on your eating your brain is distracted and does not fully acknowledge the amount of food that you are eating which can result in overeating.

Another tip

Grapefruits and oranges are both full of Vitamin C and not only do they boost the immune system but they control appetite which can help you make the healthier choice before your next meal.