Want to learn how to lose weight by eating more? Forget about the dieting and exercise hype! No, not all calories are equal and not all of them are acquired through equal portions of food. The foods you eat vary in their effects on hormones, the amount of calories the body burns and the effect on hunger. These three factors (hormones, calories burned and effect on hunger) form the foundation on which weight loss is developed. So, what about eating too much to lose weight?
No mistake in the title. You can decide to just eat your way into weight loss. Here’s how to lose weight by eating more.
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1. Eat Lots of Hydrating Foods
Strawberries, watermelons, cucumber… All of these contain enough water to keep you hydrated. They also contain fiber, which will fill your tummy and keep it there… full!
So, you will be killing two birds with one stone because you will be hydrated and full, with no temptation to eat more and, the best part is; these foods are low in calories. Hey, just eat, eat and eat.
2. Snack on Volume
Meaning? You are getting out of the three square meals a day cocoon and having more snacks instead, or is it in-between? Forget about that; focus on the volume of the snacks.
Consider popcorn, for example. Participants in a study confirmed that they felt fuller after consuming six cups of popcorn than after one cup of chips. Who wouldn’t? Six cups to one? Well, that is not the point. The six cups made for 33% fewer calories in total than the one cup of potato chips!
Popcorn is low in calories, therefore, you can munch huge servings as you still save on the calories. Remember the point here is - eat too much, lose weight.
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3. Crowd out
This is a method that has been fully supported and recommended by nutritionists worldwide. Here’s the catch:
Just load your plate with low-calorie foods such as vegetables. Focus more on the fiber-rich, healthy foods that put at bay those hunger pangs that follow your usual nutrient lacking dinner.
You see, Fiber + Water = Bulk and bulk in your tummy sends a signal to your brain that you are full.
Most (if not all) fiber-rich foods are low-calorie and, to add to that, they also slow down digestion and absorption. In effect this makes you feel more satiated for longer hence, helping you avoid eating more.
4. Fill up with Fatty Fish
Oily fish such as salmon, pollock and mackerel all share one common thing: they are packed with Omega-3 fatty acids, which are polyunsaturated fats.
The healthy fats increase the levels of the adiponectin hormone, providing a reliable solution to excess inflammation. Adiponectin enables the body to convert carbohydrates into energy as well as burn fats and quicken metabolism. All these contribute positively to the slim-down program. More fish, please…
5. Consume More Calcium
Muscle mass is the keyword here. Calcium speeds up and keeps the metabolism wheels rolling. As a result, calories are burned throughout the day.
The upshot is that calcium will help with weight loss because, as seen here, it is not only good for the bones but also for metabolism, which contributes heavily towards weight loss.
6. Do Justice to Breakfast
Eating enough in the morning helps maintain steady levels of glucose in the blood. In other words, failure to eat breakfast will lead to increased, regular hunger pangs during the day.
Having a good breakfast packed with insoluble fiber, similar to that found in oatmeal, helps a lot in lowering the hormone known as ghrelin, which is responsible for inducing hunger.
In effect, when you fill up your tummy with a good breakfast comprised of foods rich in fiber (such as wholemeal), proteins (for example eggs and milk) and vitamins (such as those found in fruits), you will have a slimmer chance of desiring to eat (or eat a lot) during the day, which will align with your slim down efforts.
7. Sprinkle Some Cinnamon
Fill your plate to any level you wish, but remember to sprinkle some cinnamon on the lump. A study has proved that the fasting blood glucose can be kept on the same level by cinnamon.
As a result of constant blood glucose levels, ghrelin (the hunger hormone) will not be released. You will therefore not feel the urge to eat regularly or indulge unnecessarily.
8. Load up on Protein
Protein-packed meals are digested more slowly. Meaning that when you consume more proteins, your response to ghrelin will be lowered, hence you will feel more satiated for longer periods of time. This helps you feel energetic and prevents snacking or indulging unnecessarily. The end result is; the body receives what it needs and uses it all up without excesses and even burns more of what is already stored as fat. You are on track with your weight loss program.
9. Crunch More
Crunchy stuff takes more time to chew (take a carrot as an example). The moment you start chewing, you give your brain time to communicate to the body that food is on its way in. The beginning of the chewing also sets off the journey to the “full point”.
In effect, you are more alert to your satiety cues and feel full after chewing for some time. The feeling of “full” is enough to keep you away from indulging in other unnecessary snacks such as biscuits and cakes or even sweetened drinks like soda, which are hunger-inducing and full of calories.
10. Don’t Spare the Avocado
Contrary to popular belief, when you eat healthy fat, you do not become fat. The fat in, for example, switches off the hunger hormone and helps keep you away from the temptation of munching.
Half a fresh avocado results to a 40% reduction in the desire to eat for hours. The healthy fats also help reduce storage of belly fat. With this one, you always win because the less your belly fat, the easier it is to control your appetite.
CONCLUSION Nobody is amused by the hunger pangs associated with some dieting plans, especially those that include fasting or eating too little in order to lose weight.
Restricting yourself will not only slow down the metabolism process but also leave everything else unattended (by everything else I mean the hunger, craving and general fatigue that result from fasting or over-limiting food intake in the name of dieting).
Most of these hyped methods only offer short-term remedies, to the disappointment of many who are looking for long-term or permanent solutions to weight loss.
The good news is there are better, simpler, more natural ways you can lose weight without the hunger pangs or even strenuous exercises as seen above. Enjoy your stress-free, fun/food-filled journey toward weight loss!
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