Do you ever wonder why you are still hungry, even after polishing off a huge meal or snack? Why you seem to always be hungry? Do you feel like your constant eating habits are out of your control? Well, there are reasons why your body may be craving food all the time. Mostly, it has to do with the type of food you are eating. Yes, there are foods that trick our bodies into thinking we are still hungry. These foods are adding inches to your size and keeping you from attaining a healthy weight. They could even be hindering our ability to exercise! Yet, we as a nation continue to consume these foods in mass quantities and on a daily basis.

But, there are also foods that can help us ward off hunger, help us take back control over our intake of food and help us gain the energy and stamina to exercise routinely. Here are 5 simple tips to help you gain control over your daily food intake and ultimately gain control and happiness in your life:

1. Cut out the soda and sugary drinks and drink water instead. This is the simplest step any person can take toward a healthier, slimmer lifestyle. Just this one step alone will give you more energy, help you feel full in between your meals and quickly cut down your daily calorie intake. According to research at the University of California at San Francisco, the high fructose corn syrup found in these drinks tricks our brain into craving more food by hindering the hormone in our body that helps us determine when we are full. High fructose corn syrup is one of the worst things we can ingest in our body, yet it is reported that we as a nation consume so much that it accounts for roughly 2/3 of our annual intake. Most importantly, DRINK WATER!!! If you are dehydrated, you body will feel hungry. Drinking water helps you to stay full and it is good for you. Tip – if you are finished with your meal and you still feel hungry, drink a glass of water before ingesting more food. The water can be just enough to fill you up. So, get yourself a cute BPA free water bottle and carry it around with you. You would be amazed at how that one step will save you money and inches!

2. Eat a bigger breakfast and reduce your intake as the day progresses. There is a saying that you should, “eat like a king at breakfast, a prince for lunch and dinner like a pauper.” This is very good advice (so long as you eat the right kinds of foods) to follow. The reason is that when you eat a bigger breakfast, your blood sugar and insulin rise at a slower rate throughout the day, thus reducing the sudden food cravings we can feel. Researchers found that those who ate 300 calories at breakfast gained twice as much as those who ate 500 calories at breakfast. Again, the sugar and insulin rise faster if we don’t take in enough food in the AM, thus increasing the onset of sudden cravings throughout the day. One important piece of advice is to avoid unhealthy fats, added sugar or refined carbs in your breakfast as these can actually reduce energy levels (thus reduce the will to exercise) and actually tell your body to store the fat, versus burning it off. Eat whole foods like berries, nuts, egg whites and oatmeal for breakfast and avoid the breakfast burrito’s, muffins and sugar filled cereals.

3. Fill half your plate with salad or other veggies rich in the B-vitamin, Folate. A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition reported that people with high levels of Folate lost 8.5 times more weight when dieting than those folks with much less Folate in their system. These foods are said to protect us from damage from chemicals like BPA (bisphenol-A), which is linked with obesity. Here are some foods rich in Folate: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Brussle Sprots, Kale, Cabbage, Romaine Lettuce, Spinach, Collard Greens and Radiccio.

4. Stay Active, avoid boredom! This alone can spark you to go to the kitchen and grab something to eat. Keeping your mind and body stimulated and active can significantly decrease “mindless eating.” It’s like when you go to the fridge over and over again looking for “something” that isn’t there. It is those moments that we just grab something and start nibbling. But, it is those moments where we have to ask ourselves, “are you hungry or just bored?” I bet if you give yourself something to do to keep your mind active, your need to go to the fridge or cupboard will go away. Take a walk, read a book, do some chores, etc. You will fend off the urge to mindlessly eat and you will get the added benefit of giving your mind and body some exercise!

5. Drink tea! A study documented in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that drinking black tea after a meal can help you feel fuller and suppress hunger. Apparently, the polyphenolic compounds in the tea are credited for suppressing “rebound hunger.” Also, instead of reaching for a bag of chips or any other unhealthy foods, go for a cup of tea at night as it is a great way to suppress those night time hunger attacks. But, avoid putting sugar in your tea. Instead, go for honey; It will give you the same sweet taste you crave!

These simple steps will save you a ton of calories every day and help you lose inches! Also, you will be amazed at the amount of energy you get from eating the right foods and avoiding the wrong foods!

Tags: 5 tips, avoiding hunger, hunger