Experts tell us we are what we eat. A disturbing thought when we
consider how much sugar, fat and white flour is consumed daily,
hidden in ready meals and fast foods. It's time to change the
bad habits we have developed over the last three decades and
start eating to improve health, not destroy it!
A vital area of life that requires our attention is
this....learning to answer hunger pains appropriately. If we
neglect this, weight can increase and well-being may suffer.
Whether you need to lose weight, maintain weight or tone up your
body; inappropriate eating habits can jeopardize your best
efforts. This articles will help you start to understand how to
manage hunger in a busy lifestyle.
If it's sticky and sweet, made with sugar and saturated fat,
then you must only eat it as a rare treat. Can the same be said
for a delicious bowl of strawberries, or a juicy sweet orange?
That is the problem here? Why do we choose cakes and chocolate
over nature's best offering?
If you do not have a genuine glucose imbalance, one cause
perhaps is that sweet treats are deeply connected to our
childhood, where frequently, 'sweeteners' were given as a reward
for good behaviour, or to placate or console the unhappy child.
Our memory will automatically associate sweet foods as a reward
or a comfort. That bar of chocolate or sticky bun you devour
mid-way through a stressful afternoon could be you rewarding
yourself for hard work!
If you think you may be using sweet treats as a 'reward' or
comfort and want to kick the habit, simply remember that putting
on weight is NOT a reward. Then think of a reward that doesn't
involve food!
Guard yourself from the sweet snack attacks by being prepared
and planning your day's food patterns.
1. Incorporate protein in to your breakfast AND lunch. Protein
is key to controlling carbohydrate cravings. The RDA of protein
for women is 60 grams a day. For women wanting to lose weight,
health professionals recommend approximately 100 grams of
protein daily. Why? One of the principle advantages of protein
is that it creates a feeling of fullness and satisfaction in the
body that makes overeating much less likely. Source your protein
from ultra lean sources so you don't pick up unwanted calories
and saturated fats.
Even better, than providing a sense of sustained fullness,
protein can block the triggering effect that carbohydrates can
have on the brain. If you eat protein with a carbohydrate it
will reduce the cravings caused by eating the carbohydrate.
2. Never skip meals. Research has shown that people who skip
meals are more prone to obesity than those who regularly eat 3
meals a day. In fact, people who space their daily food
requirements by making appropriate use of healthy snacks do even
better. Why is this? When you skip meals you are more likely to
get hungry and fill up on easily obtained fast foods which are
often trigger foods.
3. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water throughout the day. For some
people sugar laden soft drinks are a trigger food. Make sure you
don't get thirsty in the first place. Water creates a sense of
fullness and has a host of other health benefits.
4. Plan the timing of your meals so that you don't get hungry.
Despite having three healthy meals a day, sometimes your work
schedule can mean the spacing of those meals still does not
guard against the carbohydrate cravings. If you have a long gap
between meals, make sure you carry healthy snacks to cover the
distance, otherwise hunger will set in
5. Plan your snacks. Plan out your weekly snack schedule with
some delicious, healthy snacks. Purchase these with your weekly
shopping so that you are fully prepared. If you need to, get up
a few minutes earlier in the morning so you have time to prepare
and take your snacks to work. Remember, healthy snacks don't
live in a vending machine! You are less likely to get hungry
when you have a ready supply of healthy snacks.
6. Carry emergency supplies of nutritional protein bars in your
handbag or brief case. When you feel a carbohydrate craving, eat
the protein bar instead and wait 30 minutes before acting on the
craving. More often than not the craving will pass and you will
be in control again. This truly works!
About the author:
Kim Beardsmore M.B.A. (H.R.M.), B.Sc. (Biochemistry) is a
Herbalife distributor, weight loss coach &creator of the online
weight loss & health magazine Weight Loss Health
http://weight-loss-health.com.au Your online Herbalife store at
http://weightlosshealth.herbalcoach.com Learn about the work at
home Herbalife business opportunity at
http://free2liv.com
