If you’re really hungry, do you need more food than if you’re just a little hungry?
The answer is NO—you just think you do!
When you feel “starved,” you’re just more likely to overeat, even though your body would be satisfied with a lot less food.
You’ll also be far less particular about your food choices.
To prevent this, use a 5-hour rule to manage your hunger:
Anytime you go longer than five hours between eating, you greatly increase the risk of overeating.
Protect yourself from getting too hungry by maintaining a stash of healthy snacks that you can grab quickly. Carry food along when you go shopping, travel on airplanes, or attend long meetings at work.
Don’t worry about looking foolish. People will actually perceive you as someone who really cares about healthy eating.
Today’s assignment (my answers are in blue)
1. Plan your mealtimes carefully, aiming for no more than three to five hours between meals or snacks. Write your plan for today here.
My usual times are 8am, noon, 2:30 pm, and 6 pm, with an occasional evening snack if I need it.
2. Record the times you actually eat today. Add any notes about how your hunger level was each time you ate.
I generally feel a slight awareness that causes me to look at the clock and realize it’s time to eat. My childhood on the farm still affects my eating patterns. I tend to combine the tools: listening to my body and watching the clock.
3. Notice any patterns such as whether you tend to overeat when you go too long between meals. Write a few notes about this.
When I get too hungry, I get kind of crazed, and I absolutely tend to eat too much. I’ve learned to protect myself by carrying food, especially when I travel. If I ever get caught by an airline delay, I don’t panic because I have a couple of good snacks in my purse.
Excerpted from Day 32 in the book, 100 Days of Weight Loss