Food Tips:
There are so many options, green, black, herbal, fruity, spicy… Teas like Chai, which are usually served with a LOT of milk and sugar can still be great with a tiny bit of milk and no cal sweetener (as a plus people will assume its made the regular way) You can also use e133 vegan and many others.
Weigh up your options, if you can’t handle the monthly chocolate cravings one square of dark chocolate is a lot better than falling for the slice of chocolate cake!
Eat raw foods (vegetables and fruit) as much as possible, they fill you up for longer with fewer calories due to the higher water content. And you’ll get more nutrients from them.
Vegetable Soups are a life saver in winter. Made with veggies and water with a tsp of stock powder you can stretch your calories further, keep warm and full for longer! Asian style broths (ginger, soy, chilli, lime, stock + veg) are a great alternative!
Cocoa powder (unsweetened) sprinkled on low cal fruit- apples, strawberries, oranges etc. is a yummy and low cal, low fat way to kick the choccy cravings.
Recommended: Mini Mega 200g
A small amount of home made hummus (puree chickpeas, spices, tiny bit of tahini, no oil) as a dip with veg makes for really filling snacks. You can water it down and use as a protein rich salad dressing/vegetable sauce.
Prepare your vegetables ahead of time- chop and portion (you could even cook and freeze) ready for those nights when you would otherwise reach for quick higher cal options.
Relax! Stress leads to weight gain, increased appetite and water retention.
Always get the sauce/dressing on the side! I know it sounds simple but its effective- dip your fork in it before you pick up your food, you’ll use much less this way but you can still enjoy the flavour! I even do it at home to stop myself from going over the top when your dishing up and hungry.
Exercise Tips:
Remember to change your routines regularly- both food and exercise, your body adapts quickly!
Incorporate some weight training in your routine to maintain muscle, which may weigh slightly more but looks better than fat and burns more calories 24/7.
High intensity interval training- like Tabata intervals (20sec sprint, 10 sec rest) x 8… a 4 min workout giving it all you’ve got will increase your metabolism & fat loss but in doing so will (in most people) increase your appetite.
Whilst Lower intensity cardio (ie walking) for a longer period of time will not increase your appetite but will take longer to burn the same calories.FALSE HUNGERWhat do I think hunger is? Stomach pain, hollow feeling, nausea, tired, foggy, slow, unco, headache, blurred vision, growling tummy, rippling, burping, faint, physical discomfort.
TRUE HUNGER
· Comes on at regular times
· Usually 4 hrs after a meal
· ALL food looks good- yes, even vegetables!
· Want whole foods
· Sweet cravings are satisfied by fruits/sweet potato
· NEED
FALSE HUNGER
· Comes on at irregular times
· Appears shortly after heating
· Only specific foods sound satisfying- picky wants
· Cravings for refined sweets are common
· Digestive upset can cause it
· Hunger due to emotions or fatigue
· WANT
FALSE HUNGER CAUSES
· Low blood sugar
· Irritation of stomach lining- stretched stomach = grumbles & hunger pains
· Addictions- sugar, caffeine, refined white carbs etc
· Discomfort of the body utilizing reserves
· Desire for stimulation- physical/mental
· Genuine need for nutrients expressed by cravings for foods with diluted amounts of that nutrient.
· Tiredness
· Thinking about/seeing/smelling food = activates appetite NOT hunger
· Habit- regularity of meal times etc
