26 Oct Hunger

Hungry?

When people change to a new way of eating – for example “The Chief Life” meal plans – they may find it takes a while to get into a new routine. We also find that old myths and misconceptions seem to stick in people’s minds leading them to starve themselves, skip meals or avoid fats thinking they are helping with their weight loss cause, but they are not!

Why am I hungry?

Are you eating regularly?

It’s important to make sure that you spread your meals and snacks throughout the day so your body and mind are constantly being fueled. If you eat when you wake, say at 6am, and then don’t eat again until lunch but find that you are starving hungry by this time it’s likely that it’s because you are leaving too long between eating.

Are you eating the right amount?

Portion sizes are different for everyone depending on size, activity, gender and plenty other factors. If you are hungry soon after eating (within 30 minutes), it’s very possible that the quantity of food is not enough!

Are you eating the right foods?

So many people start making changes for the better, remove the processed foods, carbs and sugar and replace them with lean protein and plenty of fruit and veg, but a frequent error I see is people forgetting their fats… and then wondering why they have no energy, don’t feel satisfied after eating or get hungry soon after finishing a meal. FAT WILL NOT MAKE YOU FAT – this is really important to remember. We need to get all 3 pieces of the puzzle (protein, carbohydrates and fats) every time we eat to ensure we function at our best!

What can I do?

There are a few things you can try to help feel more satisfied; it really does depend on what your goals are though. If you are on a 4-week meal plan you will have been given guidelines to follow and should stick to these as closely as you can to achieve your desired goals. For the general population, following “The Chief Life” meal plans for general well-being and more effective training: the following will apply to you. As mentioned above, it may be down to one of 3 things:

1. Eat every 3-4 hours, but listen to your body. Have the meals and snacks prepared and ready to eat but if you’re not hungry 3 hours after breakfast, wait a little longer for your snack. Follow this rule throughout the day, but be sure you’re not starving yourself… listen to the hunger signals. We generally recommend following a 5 to 6 meal/snack day but this will vary for each individual depending on your schedule.

2. For portion size, the basic rule is a palm-sized amount of lean protein, fill the plate with veggies and add a splash of fats. If you are new to this, follow the basic rule for 3-4 weeks. If you’re hungry between meals and snacks it’s possible portion sizes are too small. Try upping your fats, especially if training regularly, as this is where you get your energy from when eating this way.

3. Make sure you’re eating fats… this is the most common downfall when people say they are hungry if following a cleaner way of eating – but remember they are very high in energy value so we don’t need to go overboard with how much fat we eat. If fats are sorted maybe look at your protein and carb portions to check these are not the problem.

If in doubt, ask us! We are more than happy to get you on track or point you in the right direction.

Other Things To Keep In Mind:

If you are trying to lose weight, you don’t want to go crazy eating too much of any one thing. As in, eating a kilo of nuts a day is not going to help you get to your goal weight – so make sure you keep eating your lean protein, fruit or veggies and good fats at every meal and snack throughout the day in the correct portion sizes. This will keep your hormones balanced, fuel you and stop you craving those naughty foods!

If you’re maintaining your weight, not worried about gain or loss and training regularly – then go for it. Eat as much lean protein, veggies and good fats as you need to feel satisfied. Then when you get hungry, do the same again. If you would like to eat every 3 to 4 hours, this is great… as planning to have food with you to eat throughout the day can stop you being tempted by unhealthy options. Planning is the key.

Remember…

If you’re hungry… EAT! It’s your body’s way of telling you it needs fuel – just make sure you eat the right foods in the right amounts to help set you up for success!