Losing weight can be as complex as understanding biology and how proteins interact with fats, or it can be as simple as burning less calories than you consume. When it comes down to it, the latter is really all that matters at the base level — while it’s crucial to properly fuel your body (more on that later), all you need to know about weight loss is it comes down to calories. Often, the hardest part of maintaining a calorie deficit isn’t the exercising so much as the eating. Here are some tips to help curb hunger to stay on track.
Enlist a Medical Professional
If you’ve been doing your research on medical approaches that can help, you may have found yourself asking questions like “what is low dose naltrexone?” This is an example of a prescription than that can help keep cravings at bay so you don’t eat more than you need to. It’s important to make sure you’re taking supplements and prescriptions that are approved and safe — a professional can help you understand what options will work best for your given circumstances.
Drink water
Instead of reaching for the bowl of nuts when you feel a craving to snack, try drinking water first — often, this is often enough to satiate that craving. Plus, it’s pretty common for people to be under-hydrated, so it’s a win-win. Keep water with you at all times. Give yourself a little time after drinking some water to determine if your body really is needing more fuel.
Keep Yourself Occupied
Chances are, you snack more often during the less active parts of your day. It’s important to learn the difference between hunger and boredom. If you find yourself reaching for the snack drawer, check in with yourself — are you sedentary? Get up and move, and you’ll find that even a small walk around the block can help push unnecessary snacking away. People often eat far more than they actually need to because it’s just something to do.
Don’t Vilify Food
While finding ways to curb hunger is an important skill for maintaining a healthy body, it’s also important to know that properly fueling your body is good for your physical and mental health. Don’t think of food — including treats — as the enemy. Make sure to eat plenty of whole foods so your body is getting the resources it needs to keep you mentally and physically healthy.
It’s important to develop a healthy relationship with food. The key is to find balance and to maintain control. Your body craves food for a reason, so as long as you are intentional in your decisions, you should be able to control cravings without overdoing it.
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