How to Stay Fuller for Longer
By Sara Butler
Hunger isn’t a very pleasant feeling. In fact, it seems to strike at really inopportune times. There’s nothing quite as embarrassing as being in a meeting and having your stomach growl loudly for the whole room to hear! When you’re working to stay healthy and manage a healthy weight, there are days when you feel like you could eat your own shoe. It is a distracting feeling, but one that can be overcome. Depriving yourself of food when you’re hungry isn’t healthy. The key to maintenance is to focus on what you’re eating instead of how much. Here are a few ways you can stay fuller for longer and still meet your health goals.
Focus on Satiety
Satiety is that glorious feeling you get when you’ve finished a meal and feel satisfied. You’re not uncomfortable or stuffed, you’re just feeling good. The more you have this feeling after a meal, the less likely you will be to eat later. That’s why you need to focus on what you’re eating and improve your satiety.
Low-Density Foods
You should focus on foods that have a low-calorie density. That simply means you can eat more of them but keep your caloric intake in check. When you eat calorie dense foods, such as cake, you eat more calories in one sitting than you would by eating the same amount of a low-density food -- yet the feelings of satiety are the same.
One strategy a lot of people use is to drink a glass of water before a meal. The problem with this is that water isn’t really a food. The key to making low-density work for you is to eat food that has high water content so that you feel satisfied after eating them. A few water-rich foods include:
- Broth-based soups
- Leafy green vegetables
- Fruits
- Non-starchy vegetables
Fiber is Your Friend
Another way to promote satiety is to fill up on fiber. Fiber-rich foods are often low in calories, but require a lot of chewing. Taking the time to eat these foods will only add to your feelings of satiety and also will keep you feeling fuller for longer since it takes so much time for your body to digest them. Some high-fiber foods you should incorporate are:
- Beans
- Legumes
- Fruit and vegetables with skins
- Lentils
Try to avoid refined carbohydrates when you eat, such as white rice or bread. They’ll spike your blood sugar and leave you hungry later.
Eating foods that help you stay fuller for longer is one of the keys to your overall health and wellness!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Northbrooke, Ill.