The worst part about trying to follow a kilojoule-controlled eating plan has to be that constant feeling of being so, insatiably hungry. Even if you haven’t eaten, say, a vetkoek in years, as soon as you’re trying to clean up your eating, boom! You’re craving one. Unfair? Totally. Avoidable? Absolutely. Yes, you read that right. Turns out, it is possible to stick to healthy portion sizes and still feel full and satisfied. These healthy eating tips, extracted from Shedding For The Wedding, a comprehensive healthy weight-loss programme for brides-to-be and their bridesmaids, will help keep those hunger pangs at bay.
When you’re two weeks into a diet and the hanger is real…
1/ Drink plenty of water.
Sometimes when you feel hungry, it’s not actually hunger you’re feeling at all, but rather thirst. Your body feels like it needs something urgently, so it sets off alarm bells that it needs “something”. You can easily misinterpret this as feeling peckish, when in fact you’re just dehydrated. To steer clear of this trap, drink water continuously throughout the day. Fill up a bottle and get into the habit of mindlessly sipping – you’re aiming to down two to three litres per day. Can’t stand plain water? Get a Sodastream (FYI it’s on sale right now at Dischem!) and make your own sparkling water. Infuse it with fresh fruit like cut lemon, apple or strawberries for delicious, diet-friendly sipping.
READ MORE: 7 Ways To Shift Those Last Few Stubborn Kilos, According To A Dietician
2/ Bulk up your meals.
Get in the habit of making a big “free” salad with every meal and eat it first. You’ll take the edge off your hunger so you’ll enjoy the rest of your meal more and eat more slowly, leaving you more satisfied at the end. Be sure to mix it up – e.g. leafy salads vs crunchy salads or bitter rocket leaves vs sweet bell peppers so you don’t get bored. Can’t bear a naked salad? Try mixing Balsamic vinegar with dried herbs, or drizzle lemon juice or apple cider vinegar over your greens for a dash of “free” flavour.
See? It’s delicious!
3/ Eat lots of veggies.
Veggies like broccoli, cauliflower and gem squash are actually super low in kilojoules, which means you can eat a lot of them without fear. On days when you just feel like a big, hearty plate of food (hello, first day of your period), cook up a giant wok of vegetable stirfry or a spicy pot of vegetable curry (hold the cream) and go wild!
READ MORE: These Are The 20 Best Healthy Snacks For Weight Loss
4/ Prep meals in advance.
Time – or rather the lack of it – is the chief reason why drive-throughs and petrol station convenience stores are so successful! Prep your meals for the week or the day in advance so, no matter what happens, there’s no need to stop for a garage pie. Remember those veggie curries we mentioned? Make a whole lot and freeze it in meal-size portions. When you’re suddenly feeling hungry, you can just defrost one and munch away, no deli run required.
Looking for a weight-loss plan you can actually stick to? Shedding For The Wedding includes an affordable eating plan that works with macros and portion sizes, so you can still eat all the food you enjoy, just in waistline-friendly amounts. Plus you’ll get a comprehensive exercise plan that you can do at home with just a resistance band, dumbbells and stuff you already have around the house.
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