Welcome to 2018!
Entering the new year is often a time for self reflection and new commitments to changing something about your life in order to be healthier, happier, and more at peace. For many women, a better relationship with food is something that they strive for anew on an annual basis and is challenging to resolve.
With an eye towards integrating rather than avoiding, we want to share some easy to use techniques to tackle hunger cravings that can help make this new year one where healthy new habits are formed.
In a January 2018 article, Medical News Today shared some great research based suggestions to control your appettite in healthy ways. These include:
- Eating more protein or fat can help satisfy your hunger and keep you full longer than carbohydrates. These include nuts, seeds, avocado, coconut, greek yogurts, peas, and lean meats.
- Choosing high-fiber foods slows digestion and can keep you full longer, such as chia seeds, beans, almonds, and whole grains.
- Drinking more fluids, such as a large glass of water before eating, can leave you more satisfied and less hungry after a meal. Furthermore, starting off a meal with a liquid starter such as soup can help you feel fuller after a meal.
- Eating large volumes of the right food (high on nutrients but lower on calories) will help avoid binge eating by creating a feeling of satisfaction and fullness instead of a growling stomach!
- Practicing mindful eating by engaging your brain with your plate instead of watching TV can reduce binge eating – your brain is part of your digestion too! Other mind-body activities such as meditation and yoga can also help to curb appetite.
- Exercising helps to suppress appetite hormones, especially high-intensity workouts
- Reducing stress can mitigate comfort eating that is rooted in anger, sadness, or other challenging emotions. Integrating more mindful eating, as well as activities such as regular sleep, social contact, and enjoyable hobbies can also mitigate stress.
Together, let’s welcome this coming year as one to add new activities, flavors and spices to our menu, like ginger, cayenne pepper, yerba mate tea, and dark chocolate. These ingredients both satisfy and minimize appetite so we will not be left wanting more. If it feels overwhelming to integrate too many unfamiliar things, just start with one at a time! Before you know it, one little change can lead to huge differences down the road.
Helaine Alon, ZBC Communication Manager