Hungry all the time? Here are 4 strategies to try!

Is food all you can think about?

One thing that happens when you are changing up the way you eat, or attempting weight loss is this feeling of hunger! Why is this happening? Well, I have some ideas for you if this is something you deal with.

First, understand that when you are attempting to lose weight you are going to feel differently than when you were eating in the way you used to. This is just going to be part of the process. Imagine an athlete who is training for a race who wants to get faster. You have to train your body to do things it hasn't done before, or in a better way.

I remember when I was training for my marathon, I was doing intervals and sprints to try to improve my time (I hate sprinting by the way), so it was harder to do those sprints, but in the long run, it made endurance running much easier for me.

When you change your eating to induce weight loss, you are training your metabolism, and in the interim of shifting from burning sugars into burning stored fat, you may feel differently. Take this as a sign that something is happening.

Be smart about this, eat meals with enough vegetables to give you fiber, drink enough water to hit at least 100 oz/day, and consume clean sources of proteins and healthy fats. But understand that hunger can be a side effect of shifting metabolism.

Secondly, sometimes when you are working toward eating better, differently or losing weight, you are likely thinking about it more than normal. Let's face it, when you just eat however you want, you probably aren't feeling hungry. What you need to be careful of is associating weight loss with deprivation. Because when that happens, it will never last long. You have to look at it from another angle, what you are gaining by eating cleaner?

More nutrients, more vitamins, more real fuel, better health. The great news is that our bodies are adaptable, and they change fast. So if you are feeling hunger after starting a new routine, no worries, it's something that is indicating change....for the better.

Now if this persists, make sure you are addressing any bigger health issues, but hunger is normal! And it's an awesome message that your body gives you when it's time to eat.

Here's what I want you to do:

1. Pay attention to your hunger for this entire day. Did you wake up hungry, full or neither? Write it down.
2. Notice how hungry you are before you eat each time throughout the day. Only eat when you feel true hunger.

If you can't tell, ask yourself these questions first:

• How hydrated am I, how much water did I drink today?
  • Drink water and wait and see how you feel.
  • Have you been eating sugar?
    • Sugar is a viscous cycle, especially when you consume refined sources, the food won't satisfy you for long, and in fact your hunger will come back with a vengeance.
    • Eat whole foods instead
    • Increase the amount of fiber you are eating
    • What else is going on?
      • Are you avoiding doing something, distracted or bored?
      • Did you not eat enough earlier in the day?
      • If so, eat a bigger snack, more of a mini meal instead of just a piece of fruit or carrot sticks, you need more substantial nutrition.

See how you do for the next day or two considering some of these things and stick with whole foods, you'll always be better off eating things that are real!

Jodi :)