How to avoid feeling hungry while on a diet
Hunger is not a character flaw but a signal. Once you understand when it turns up, you can plan for it – and don't have to fight it.
Fixed mealtimes beat good intentions
The most common cause of ravenous hunger is a skipped or heavily delayed meal. The thought «I haven't eaten anything until the afternoon today, that saves calories» rarely works out: the longer the gap, the larger the portion needed afterwards to feel full – and the faster it gets eaten.
Whether three, four or five meals a day: what matters is that the times stay roughly the same. If a meal shifts by more than an hour, hunger makes itself known – and the meal turns out more generous than planned.
Feeling full takes time
The feeling of fullness only sets in 15 to 20 minutes after the start of a meal. Anyone who eats hastily has finished the portion long before the body reports that there is enough. Eating slowly, putting the cutlery down in between and drinking helps more than any amount of willpower.
Hunger or craving?
Between meals a short question is worth asking: am I really hungry – or is this an appetite for something particular? A picture in an advert, a pastry in a shop window or a cookery programme can trigger a desire that feels like hunger but isn't.
A simple test: would an apple or a glass of water do just as well right now? If yes, it was hunger. If only the pastry counts, it was a craving – and that usually passes within a few minutes if you distract yourself.
Three things that help day to day
- Plan instead of improvising: a meal plan for the week takes the decision out of the moment when you are hungry.
- Build in protein and fibre: meals with protein, vegetables and wholegrains satisfy for longer than those made of fast carbohydrates.
- Don't forget to drink: thirst is often read as hunger. A glass of water before the meal costs nothing and settles the question.
This is general information and does not replace individual dietary advice.