Feel fuller FOR LONGER
BEAT THE SNACK ATTACK WITH THESE SATISFYING FOODS
MAKE FRIENDS WITH FIBRE
There are plenty of reasons to love fibre. High-fibre foods tend to provide volume to your meals but be low in energy, so you can fill up your plate without overloading on calories. Soluble fibre also mixes with water to form a gel-like substance in your stomach which causes it to empty more slowly, so you’ll feel fuller for longer. We need both soluble and insoluble fibre to stay healthy, and the best way to achieve this is to eat a varied diet with plenty of vegies, fruit, wholegrains and legumes.
FUEL UP ON GOOD FATS
Like all good things, it’s possible to overdo this, but we do need to eat a moderate amount of fat to stay healthy. Our bodies take longer to digest fat than other foods, which means it also helps you to stay satisfied after a meal. The healthiest options are monounsaturated fats (found in almonds, olives and avocados) and polyunsaturated fats (in sunflower seeds, fatty fish and walnuts).
BE WATER WISE
Along with helping you to stay hydrated, foods with a high water content can also keep hunger pangs at bay. It doesn’t hurt that many hydrating foods are also high in vitamins and nutrients. Try watermelon (92 per cent water), rockmelon (90 per cent) and zucchini (94 per cent).
PACK IN MORE PROTEIN
Protein is an essential building block of life, and it’s needed by every single cell in our body. But it can also play an important role in weight management too. One reason is that it reduces your level of the hunger hormone ghrelin. At the same time, protein boosts your production of the peptide YY, which helps you to feel full. Eat lean meats, poultry, seafood, eggs, cottage cheese, Greek yoghurt and tofu to boost protein levels.
TAKE IT SLOW
Are you often still hungry at the end of a big meal? It may be a sign to slow down. When we eat, we release hormones that tell our brains when we’ve had enough – but this can take up to 20 minutes. By slowing your mealtimes down to 20 or 30 minutes you’ll give yourself time to register when you’re feeling full.