Eating healthy and sticking to a rigid eating plan can seem impossible some days, especially when you’re trying to change your regular eating routine. Trying to get through the day without being able to eat a healthy meal snack it can also make life even more difficult. Whether you need to get through an afternoon without overeating or you’re trying to keep up your energy without stopping for a quick bite, eating a proper, well-balanced series of meals throughout the day can play a huge role in helping you feel fuller for longer.
Eat this, not that! turned to a handful of experts to learn the best ways you can maximize your meals while also beat hunger for the whole day. By learning exactly how to hack your daily eating plan, you can find ways to feel fuller for longer periods of time between meals and, as a result, resist the urge to indulge in any tempting and convenient but unhealthy treat.
Rest assured, snacking isn’t the underlying cause why you can’t feel full longer; eating between meals throughout the day. In fact, many dietitians encourage snacking to help control cravings, as long as you make healthy choices. Read on for more dietitian-approved tips on how to keep you feeling full longer throughout the day, and for more ideas on how to snack smart with quality options that won’t disrupt your diet, be sure to also check out 50 Healthiest Snacks to Eat for Weight Loss.
“Including even a small amount of fiber at each meal and snack is an easy way to keep you full longer,” she says. Trista Best, MPH, RD, RHP, and consultant at Balance One. “This is because fiber is digested more slowly than other nutrients and therefore keeps your gut full, literally.”
“There’s some exciting new research that points to another reason fiber keeps you full longer: acetate,” he continues. “This is a molecule that is found in fiber and is released during digestion in the intestine. It is then transported to the brain via the bloodstream, where it signals to us that we are full and to stop eating.”
Staying full goes beyond what you just eat.
“Drink a lot of water It’s not only important for hydration, but also for curbing hunger,” Best says. “There are two main reasons why drinking water can help you stay full longer: First, it’s possible to confuse thirst with hunger because the Indicates thirst may be weak. Second, drinking water can activate stretch receptors in the stomach, which send a satiety signal to the brain and hunger hormones.”
If your goal is to stay full for longer, it is essential that you drink a glass of water and not another drink made with Artificial sweetenerslike a soft drink
“This is because sugar and artificial sweeteners create a glucose and insulin response that is actually known to cause overeating later in the day,” advises Best.
While more fiber in a meal can help you feel full, avoiding certain nutrients can be just as important.
“carbohydrate foods Made with refined carbohydrates, such as those found in white bread and pastries, they lack many of the nutrients that keep you full, such as fiber and protein,” Best says. “These types of carbohydrates are also quickly processed by the body , which makes you feel hungry soon after a meal. This is especially true of pasta-based dishes where the pasta is made from refined carbohydrates rather than whole grain sources like quinoa or whole wheat.”
“With this in mind, consider replacing morning pastries with oatmeal or white bread at lunch for a whole-grain option,” adds Best. “When you eat out, avoid refined pasta or pair it with a high-fiber salad or whole wheat bread.”
Incorporating the right types of ingredients can make a world of difference when you need to stay full longer.
“Foods that take longer to chew will fill us up faster and for longer,” Best explains. “Crispy items like carrots, apples, cucumbers, and celery have a high water content while also being larger in volume. This combination makes them low in caloric density while activating stretch receptors in the stomach more quickly.”
“These characteristics make crunchy products more filling and also take longer to digest,” Best continues. “Because of their hard texture, the body must work harder and harder to digest them. This results in more calories burned in the digestion process and longer digestion. Therefore, crunchy products are a great addition to any meal or snack. for satiety and low caloric content density.”
Products can help you feel full, but also adding a little extra protein to your meals really makes all the difference when you need to keep that feeling of fullness for an extended period of time.
“Protein helps you fill up faster and stay satisfied longer after meals,” she says. Amy Goodson, MS, DR, CSSD, LDand author of The Sports Nutrition Playbook. “Because protein takes longer to digest than carbohydrates, when protein and carbohydrates are eaten together, it slows the rate at which sugar enters the bloodstream, helping to control blood sugar levels.” and hunger levels for the next few hours.
“Eating protein at meals and snacks helps make your blood sugar look like rolling hills, gradually rising and falling,” Goodson adds. “At lunch, it might look like eggs on whole-grain toast, fruit, and milk. At lunch, it might be a protein-packed salad paired with fresh fruit or a whole-grain bagel. At dinner, it might be lean beef with sweet potatoes and roasted veggies. “, keep going. Don’t forget to add protein to snacks as well as Greek yogurt with berries, whole grain crackers and cheese, and beef jerky with nuts and a granola bar.”
Track your blood sugar level it can make a world of difference when you need to feel full throughout the day.
“When blood sugar is high, people are more likely to experience increased cravings, low energy, brain fog, and the notorious mid-afternoon slump,” he says. Daria Piazza, MS, RD. Along with complex carbohydrates, protein and fat slow the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream, further promoting satiety and feelings of satiety.
“One of the most efficient and effective ways to promote satiety is to focus on foods to balance blood sugar. This looks like a meal or snack that contains all three macronutrients, carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Ideally, complex carbohydrates, i.e. vegetables, grains, legumes, are preferable to simple or refined carbohydrates.”
A balanced meal with a little healthy fat it really ensures that your meal will keep you satisfied throughout the day.
“The protein, fiber, and fat in nuts help you feel full longer, so you may end up eating less throughout the day,” she says. Dr. Lisa Young, PhD, RDN, and author of Finally full, finally thin.
“Fat helps you feel full after a meal and usually keeps you from reaching for food for a while because you just aren’t hungry,” says Goodson. “However, the goal is to eat more healthy fats like nuts and nut butters, seeds, avocado, oily fish, and liquid cooking oils.”
“It’s important to note that fat produces more calories per gram (or per bite) than carbohydrates and protein, so you don’t need as much fat in a meal as the other two macronutrients,” she continues. “Think ‘garnish your plate’ with fat. For example, sprinkle nuts and seeds on your oatmeal, add avocado to a wrap, eat peanut butter on a slice of bread, and [so on].”
