1. Eat Protein With Each Meal
It’s a widely known fact that protein helps you stay fuller for longer. Some high-protein foods are red meats, fish, poultry, dairy products, nuts and beans. Try lean proteins such as grilled chicken, egg whites and nuts with meals and snacks to help increase satiety. Protein takes up to two and a half hours to digest.
It keeps you full simply by staying in your stomach longer than foods like sugar and carbohydrates. Protein also helps to rebuild muscles and maintain bone mass. It is important to have protein with each meal when trying to meet fitness goals and staying healthy.
2. Consume Healthier Fats
Some types of fat are good for you too! Contrary to popular belief, one should not opt for all non-fat items because we need to consume some fat in our diets. To top that, fat actually helps us stay full longer.
Many high protein foods that are good for us like nuts, peanut butter, olive oil, fish, avocado and meats are full of healthy fat. Fat also takes up to two and a half hours to digest. Instead of non-fat milk or dairy products, opt for 1 percent or 2 percent milk. The extra bit of fat in your dairy products will not only help you stay full for longer, but it will help to absorb the vitamin D better in the milk.
3. Keep Up With Your Fiber Intake
Fiber is another staple in your healthy diet, primarily because it forms the bulk of our stools. Fiber does not get digested. No matter how much fiber you eat, it won’t make you fat. Sugar, on the other hand, does have calories, so it is possible for a person to eat too much fruit or too much whole wheat bread.
In general, aim for 2-3 servings of fruit per day; 3-5 servings of vegetables per day; and eat whole grains, such as whole wheat bread and brown rice. Sweet potatoes and corn are other examples of starchy foods that have some fiber in them.
The easiest way to include fiber on a regular basis in your diet is to make half of your plate fruits and vegetables. Keep your fridge always stocked with easily edible fruit and vegetables for when you get the nibbles or when you are on the go. Some easy fruits to snack on are baby carrots, apples and bananas. Pair fruit with a satiating calorie rich food like peanut butter (healthy fats and protein) for a snack because it will fill you up until your next meal.
4. Eat Smaller and More Frequent Meals
You may not believe us, but eating small meals often helps you stay fuller. Eating up to five small meals per day that are high in fiber, protein and healthy fats will help keep you stay full. As always, balance is your number one rule. Keep MyPlate in mind when planning your meals.
Don’t forget: make half of your plate fruits and vegetables, a quarter of your plate protein and a quarter of your plate carbohydrates – preferably from whole grains.
Sometimes people confuse thirst for hunger. Since there is moisture in foods, sometimes a dry mouth tricks us into believing that we are hungry or simply craving more food. The best way to quench your thirst (or hunger, in this case) is to drink about 8 – 10 glasses of water per day. Soon, you will learn the difference between hunger and thirst. Thirst can trick even the most mindful eaters among us.
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