Hunger is a strange thing. When we don’t eat for long periods of time, we become hungry. But sometimes, when we’re not even remotely hungry, our mind tricks us into thinking we’re hungry to the point where we eat something really unhealthy and regret it minutes after we’re done.
Overeating leads to excess weight gain, and whether you’re trying to lose weight or maintain your already healthy weight, it’s very important that you learn how to control your hunger to avoid overeating. The following tips will help you easily control your hunger.
Avoid your trigger food.
Everyone has that one food item they can’t shy away from. Maybe it’s chocolate, maybe it’s potato chips or maybe it’s something else unhealthy. It doesn’t matter what it is. If you truly want to control your hunger, you need to eliminate these trigger foods from your diet. Replace that trigger food with something healthier, such as fruit or vegetables. Then, when you become hungry, opt for the healthy snack instead of the trigger. If you do this for at least one week, you’ll start to refrain from wanting your trigger food and instead start craving the healthier option, which is extremely beneficial for you.
The best way to avoid trigger foods is to remove them from your home. Don’t buy that certain snack or food item anymore when grocery shopping. If your food trigger occurs at a certain restaurant, change where you eat. This will help you to overcome that trigger and replace it with a healthier option.
Find different ways to deal with stress.
Stress is one of the biggest reasons why you overeat, and if you want to control your hunger, you need to find a new way to deal with stress. Maybe you need to stop letting every little thing bother you, or maybe you need to get to the gym and starting working out your stress in a physical way. If you stop allowing yourself to get stressed, or if you find a new way to deal with stress, it will certainly help you control your hunger.
Eat breakfast.
This simple tip is overlooked by far too many people. Most people don’t eat breakfast because they feel as if they don’t have time in the morning to do so, but eating breakfast will help control your hunger. You will not be hungry as often throughout the rest of your day, and because you’ll be full, you won’t indulge in those donuts or other unhealthy snacks sitting around your office. Start your day with a full, hearty breakfast, and you’ll certainly avoid any unnecessary eating throughout the day.
Keep your mouth clean.
Brush your teeth, use mouthwash and chew a minty gum. It may seem silly, but when your mouth feels clean, you’ll be less likely to want to ruin it with an unnecessary snack. Plus, who wants to eat a tasty treat when their mouth tastes like mint anyway?
Drink plenty of water.
Drinking water can help your body to feel full. Make sure that you’re drinking plenty of water throughout the day and drink it with every meal. The more full your body feels, the less hungry you will be for something unhealthy.
Use a visual stimulant.
The power of visualization can be a great tool to help you control hunger. Find a picture of yourself that you love and hang it on the pantry door or the fridge. When you start going to these areas looking for something to eat, you’ll be reminded of the goal you wish to achieve, and this will deter you from unnecessary eating. If you don’t have a picture of yourself that can help you avoid cravings, write your goal down on a piece of paper and use that to help you avoid cravings. When you’re physically reminded of what you want to achieve, you’ll be less likely to cave to those cravings.